Ntimaru town headquarters
The ghosts of violent inter-clan politics in Kuria region risk being re-awaken after president Uhuru Kenyatta created two more districts in campaign two months ago.
Kenyatta created Ntimaru and Mabera districts in Kuria East and Kuria West constituencies.
Already a section of Abanyabasi clan members have resisted plans to move them to Ntimaru district where Abairege, who were earlier minority in Kuria East, will now be majority.
While scores of local leaders and residents hailed the move as a way of creating job opportunities and bringing services closer to the people, the ghosts of violent clan clashes are cattle rustling are wakening.
“The move will do more harm than good considering that we have been working to unite the four clans and avoid conflicts. Now that each clan is in a sub -county of its own, it will be hard to foster peaceful coexistence,” said Nyagusuka Beneti, an elder.
Already members of Nyabasi clans in Nguruna, Biasumu, Nyamotambe, Getongoroma and Kwiriba areas of majorly former Kegonga division have resisted being included in the new sub-county.
“We are not happy that we are part of Ntimaru sub County. This means we will be forced to be seeking essential government services in Ntimaru and not Kegonga, where we are used to,” said Mwita Mariba, a resident of Nguruna.
Mariba said they are worried that as a minority clan in the new Sub County, they will be segregated in terms of job opportunities and accessing essential government services
“There is a raging mistrust between the two clans and therefore making some of members of Banyabasi live with the Bairege will result in conflicts. The government should reconsider this,” said Josiah Rioba, an elder from Getongoroma.
The two clans had bloody conflicts which forced the government to establish a GSU camp at Getongoroma, which was an epicenter of the chaos.
The decision to either have Kegonga (Abanyabasi) or Ntimaru (Abairege) towns as headquarter of Kuria East sub-county lead to a blood conflict which included abducting of a former District Commissioner.
Nyabasi East MCA Mwita Motangi, urged the two clans to forget their differences and live together.
