Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has officially declared 12 locations in Tana River County as "dangerous and security disturbed" areas, following escalating violence that has claimed the lives of 14 people in the past two weeks.
In a move aimed at restoring calm, Kindiki's directive took effect on Friday, October 11, underlining the growing threat to peace and stability in this volatile region.
The gazetted areas span across two sub-counties—Bangale and Tana North—where tensions have boiled over into violent skirmishes. This unprecedented declaration will remain in force for the next 30 days.
It encompasses the locations of Madogo, Areri, Saka, Sala, Mororo, and Mbalambala in Bangale Sub-County, alongside Hirimani, Hosingo, Dukanotu, Chewele, Nanighi, and Bura in Tana North Sub-County.
This drastic step signals the government's concern about the deteriorating security situation in these areas, where local conflicts have escalated dangerously.
Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, followed up Kindiki’s announcement by ordering residents to hand over any firearms they may possess, promising that the weapons would be returned once the security notice expires.
The official gazette notice issued by Kindiki, in collaboration with the National Security Council, invokes section 106 (1) of the National Police Service Act, 2011, giving the government special powers to declare an area as disturbed. This allows the state to mobilise greater resources to address the threat while enforcing stricter controls on civilian activities, particularly around the possession of weapons.
For his part, Inspector General Kanja cited section 106 (2) (a) of the same Act to enforce a strict disarmament process. “Residents in the declared zones are ordered to surrender all firearms immediately, and this must be done at the nearest police station or administrative offices during the day,” his notice reads. There will be no leniency on illegal arms possession during this critical period, the Inspector General warned.
Six more people were killed on Thursday in ongoing clashes in Tana River County, just days after eight others lost their lives. The violence, which began a week ago in the Anole area, has since spread to nearby villages, including Nanighi, with hundreds of residents fleeing their homes for safety.
The conflict, sparked by a dispute over control of a watering point in Anole, has left many injured, some critically, as they receive treatment in local hospitals. Last week, the government responded by ramping up security in the area, though tensions remain high.
On Friday, three MPs from Tana River County and a local Member of County Assembly were questioned by police in connection with the clashes. Former woman representative Rehema Hassan was also summoned for interrogation.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations confirmed the grilling of Ali Wario (Garsen), Yakub Adow (Bura), and MCA Mohammed Jibril (Bangale) as part of ongoing efforts to investigate the violence, now in its second week.