Kenyan Police Renew Action Against Samburu

The Kenyan police actions against Samburu communities in northern Kenya that began in February resumed on June 5 and 6, after Borana and Somali raiders tried to take the few remaining cattle of a party of Samburu at a river crossing. Because the police confiscated almost all their animals in the earlier assaults, the Samburu were desperate to keep the few calves left to them, and they fought with the raiders and took their weapons. That conflict left nine people dead. The Somalis and Borana then called police to help them, and a squad of police and Borana advanced on the Samburu community of Kipsing. Determined to prevent the kind of one-sided assault that happened in the earlier police actions, the Samburu moran--the communities' warriors--ambushed the squad, killing five raiders and six police and seriously wounding another 19 police officers. The government has now sent more police into the area, and fighting has broken out in many other communities, with more casualties.

            Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga is in the area trying to mediate the conflict, but it is unclear whether the police will stand down after losing some of their members. Odinga has become a defender of the Samburu after examining the evidence from the first police assaults.