Wajir leaders move to restore peace following clashes between two communities
Leaders from Wajir have moved in to restore peace and security in Arbajahan, Wajir West, following clashes between two communities.
Two people from two different subclans that reside in the area were killed on Saturday after clashes broke out following a communal land dispute.
A high-powered delegation of political leaders, elders, professionals, and security officials converged in the area in a bid to de-escalate rising tension.
The delegation included political leaders led by Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, security officials, Community elders, business figures, and professionals.
Together, they emphasised the need to resolve the land dispute that sparked the violence.
Governor Abdullahi, while terming the loss of lives as tragic, called on members from the two sub-clans to stop more bloodshed, noting that they remained brothers and sisters who had co-existed together for decades.
“I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to the affected families. We mourn with you, and we stand with you during this painful time. Every life lost is a loss to us all. We all have a role to play in ensuring that peace and stability are realised in our community,” he said.
He appealed to the residents to be ambassadors of peace, challenging the community leaders and elders to take the lead role in ensuring that the situation goes back to what it was before the clashes.
Wajir West MP Yussuf Mohamed Farah speaking at the peace
meeting.On his
part, Wajir West MP Yussuf Mohamed Farah lauded the community-led response that
paved the way for formal mediation, urging all parties to prioritize dialogue
and reconciliation.
“Let us
choose dialogue over destruction, and peace over provocation. No grievance
justifies bloodshed. Let us remember that no clan can thrive in isolation — we
need one another for progress, security, and prosperity,” he added.
He said
that as leaders, they will continue working closely with agencies, community
elders, and religious leaders to de-escalate tensions and ensure that peace and
security are realised in the area.
Following
consultations, representatives from both conflicting sides agreed to an
immediate ceasefire and committed to ongoing reconciliation efforts under the
guidance of elders and local peace committees.
Mohamed
Hussein, an elder, underscored the two subclans' commitment to dialogue and
reconciliation.
“We pray that going forward, our communities will sustain the peace accord to
achieve lasting peace in the region. As has been said before, no grievance justifies bloodshed.
We are all brothers and
sisters who have co-existed for decades, and that will never change,” he said.
Time and again, land disputes have arisen when members from a rival clan attempt to settle, graze, or dig boreholes in “another clan’s land.”
