NCIC team heads to Transmara following deadly clashes

National Cohesion and Integration Commission chair Samuel Kobia

National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has dispatched a team to Kisii and Transmara to facilitate dialogue following deadly clashes in the region.

NCIC chair Samuel Kobia said the team was dispatched in collaboration with local leadership, security agencies, and community representatives.

“We remain steadfast in promoting harmonious coexistence, urging all communities to embrace non-violent conflict resolution mechanisms,” he stated.

Kobia requested religious leaders, civil society organisations, and community elders to join hands with the commission to foster reconciliation and promote unity.

“The commission, in partnership with the relevant law enforcement agencies, shall take swift and decisive legal action against individuals or groups found to be orchestrating or perpetuating these clashes,” he stated.

He stated that the people of Transmara and Kisii deserve sustainable peace, which can only be achieved through collective efforts and a shared commitment to national cohesion.

“Our strength lies in our diversity, and it is only through unity and mutual respect that we can build a peaceful and prosperous nation. We therefore call upon every Kenyan to reject division and join hands in the pursuit of lasting peace for all,” he urged.

Kobia said NCIC is deeply concerned by the ongoing clashes in Transmara and Kisii, which have resulted in loss of lives, destruction of property, and heightened tension among communities.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the families who have lost their loved ones in this unfortunate violence, and we empathise with those who are currently undergoing treatment in various hospitals as a result of this violence as well as those whose property has been destroyed. We strongly condemn the violence and call for the immediate cessation of hostilities,” he said.

Kobia reminded Kenyans that incitement to violence and hate speech are criminal offenses under the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008.

“We therefore warn the perpetrators, specifically those who activate violence, spread hate, or disrupt community peace will face the full force of the law irrespective of their station in life,” he added.

Two people have died, and more than 20 others are nursing arrow wounds following renewed clashes along the Transmara border.

The violence, reportedly driven by escalating tensions over cattle rustling, has also led to the destruction of tens of acres of sugarcane plantations, which were set ablaze.