Kitui Senator Enoch Kiio Wambua has issued a tough four-day ultimatum demanding the removal of camels and suspected herders from Kitui County following a wave of deadly attacks that have left residents in fear and heightened tensions across parts of Mwingi.
Speaking during the emotional burial ceremony of 14-year-old Joseph Mutemi at Kathungu village in Nguni Ward, Mwingi Central Constituency, the Senator said residents had endured enough pain following recent killings linked to suspected camel herders.
Joseph, a Grade Five pupil at Kathungu Comprehensive School, was allegedly killed earlier this week in Ukasi area while grazing livestock alongside a friend who managed to escape.
His death came just days after seven people were brutally killed in Kwa Kamari area in Mwingi North during another suspected retaliatory attack that also left several others injured and families displaced.
The back-to-back attacks have triggered widespread anger, protests and growing pressure on the government to restore security in the volatile border region.
Addressing mourners during the burial, Senator Kiio urged security agencies to take advantage of the grief currently gripping residents to urgently remove the camels from Kitui before the situation escalates further.
“Bwana OCS na serikali, take advantage of the situation that the people of Kitui have as they cry… kwa sababu wakiwacha kulia, ongoa ngamia sasa,” the Senator said.
Kiio argued that Kitui communities should not continue living in fear over recurring attacks allegedly linked to grazing conflicts involving armed herders.
“We do not want any camel anywhere within Kitui County soil by next Monday,” he declared, drawing cheers from mourners and residents who attended the burial.
The outspoken lawmaker further warned that failure by the government to act swiftly could trigger uncontrollable reactions from frustrated residents once emotions settle.
The burial ceremony attracted several leaders, among them Kitui MCAs, county officials and security officers, with renewed calls for justice for victims of both the Nguni and Kamari killings.
Joseph’s killing sparked protests in Nguni and the temporary closure of sections of the busy Mwingi–Garissa highway, as residents demanded arrests and enhanced security operations.
The unrest later spread to Mwingi Town, where demonstrations and looting targeting some Somali-owned businesses were reported.
The government has since intensified security operations in the area, deploying additional General Service Unit (GSU) officers and regular police personnel to Kamari and neighbouring hotspots.
Kitui County Commissioner Erastus Mbui has warned those involved in the attacks to surrender illegal firearms, saying security agencies would pursue suspects wherever they are hiding.
Even as tensions remain high, leaders from both Kitui and Tana River counties have continued appealing for calm and restraint to prevent further retaliatory violence.
