The wrangle pitting a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a non-profit organisation and a community in Turkana took a new twist, on Friday, June 9, after a section of area elders turned down a reconciliation offer.
Locals accused the conservancy CEO of sharing discriminatory and disrespectful messages on WhatsApp, irking some members.
On Saturday, June 10, Samburu elders called for a meeting with their Turkana counterparts to address the issue.
However, the latter turned down the calls for reconciliation, noting that the issue needed to be addressed by holding direct talks with the company.
"Stay away from this issue. This is one person who can easily ruin the relationship between residents and multinationals," one of the elders stated.
Following the derogatory message, the aggrieved community pushed for swift disciplinary action against the CEO.
"We are very offended by those derogatory words shared on WhatsApp. They are no longer serving to benefit us. Still, they are now abusing us anyhow," one community member stated while appealing to the area directorate of criminal investigations (DCI) officers to launch investigations.
"We are shocked that some of his statures can abuse us," another resident stated while appealing to the National Cohesion and Integrity Community to intervene.
The community members thus gave the company 48 hours to convene a crisis meeting to avert wrangles.
Their sentiments came after Interior Cabinet Secretary warned Kericho residents against attacking multinational firms.
Kindiki further cautioned local leaders, arguing that they would be apprehended over inciting residents to burn tea-picking machines and chasing away several investors.
On Saturday, June 10, one Member of the County Assembly was charged with the attack on multinational companies but was released later on a Ksh1 million bond.
