Mwingi Central MP Joe Mutambu, who is also an official in the Jubilee Party Presidential Campaign team for Ukambani region, has demanded for his constituents to be given guns so they can "deal with Somali bandits".
Mutambu stated that the killings in the Kitui-Tana River border had escalated because Somali herders had been given arms while the Kitui residents are left without protection.
The Jubilee-allied MP placed blame on the local governor Julius Malombe who had been opposing arming of locals.
“I’m telling the governor to stop babysitting the bandits in the name of dialogue. For 40 years, people have been talking of dialogue. Has it helped anybody?
"Instead, we bury more bodies and some children are orphaned after their parents are shot dead by the Somalis. If you are talking of dialogue, then disarm your own bodyguards and when you meet with the attackers, tell them to sit down so you start your dialogue,” a charged Mutambu told a public gathering.
The clashes in that region have led to the death of 25 people and displacement of another 10,000.
Already, Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery visited the area and commissioned 80 police reservists. He added that another 120 will be deployed to other insecure areas along the volatile border.
