Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen is currently in Todonyang along the Kenya-Ethiopia border to assess the security situation following Saturday’s cross-border incident between Kenyan citizens and Dassanech community members of Ethiopia.
The heavily armed militia from the Dassanech tribe in Ethiopia raided areas along the Kenya-Ethiopia border near the Omo River, spraying bullets indiscriminately at victims fishing during the attack that has since heightened tensions along the border between the two countries.
The government confirmed the attack but did not disclose the number of fatalities, despite reports suggesting that 20 fishermen had been killed.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo cautioned and discouraged the spread of unverified information, emphasizing that security concerns should not be sensationalized.
“This incident took place on the Ethiopian side of the border, and our security teams including the Regional Commissioner, County Commissioner, and County Intelligence team are actively working to establish full details,” the PS stated.
Adding that: “We will be able to share with the country the exact details of that, and what I will do as a PS, for now is to urge caution so that then we don’t sensationalize this issue because matters security are very serious and we cannot sensationalize for whatever reason.”
Earlier Sunday, the National Police Service (NPS) also issued a statement regarding the situation noting that they had launched investigations.
The statement from the Office of the Inspector-General noted that the Turkana County Security team, in collaboration with Ethiopian security authorities, are on the ground verifying reports of the incident and working to establish the cause of the conflict.
NPS said it was working to establish the cause of the conflict to take the necessary action in accordance with the law.
