Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has lauded communities living along the Nyakach–Kericho border for making what he described as progress in restoring peace in an area that has for years been plagued by recurring inter-community clashes.

Speaking during the burial of retired military officer Lt. (Rtd.) George Were in Nyakach, Kisumu County, Dr. Omollo commended local leaders and residents for embracing dialogue and working with security agencies to end years of hostility.

Were was among the six people, including Emurua Dikir lawmaker Johana Ng’eno, who perished in a recent plane crash in Nandi. 

He said the renewed cooperation between leaders from the neighbouring two countries has significantly reduced tensions that previously manifested in cattle rustling, destruction of property, and deadly confrontations. 

“Peace is not something we achieve once and forget. It is something we must protect every day through dialogue, cooperation, and responsible leadership,” Dr. Omollo said.

The PS noted that sustained engagement among community elders, local administrators, and security officers has played a key role in calming tensions along the border.

The area has historically experienced periodic violence driven by disputes over grazing land, cattle theft, and retaliatory attacks between communities that have claimed tens of lives and destroyed properties 

For years, villages along the Nyakach–Kericho boundary witnessed deadly clashes that claimed tens of lives, forced families to flee their homes, and left farms and houses destroyed.

Security agencies were repeatedly forced to deploy officers in the region to restore order and prevent retaliatory attacks.

Dr. Omollo urged residents and leaders to safeguard the gains made and continue nurturing peaceful relations between the two neighboring communities.

Meanwhile, he appealed to Kenyan youth to reject being used by politicians to perpetrate violence as the country gradually heads into a new political season.

He warned that political competition must not degenerate into chaos, destruction of property, or loss of life, emphasising the government’s commitment to safeguarding democratic freedoms within the confines of the law.

He pledged that the government will take action against individuals who incite or participate in violence, noting that such isolated incidents in parts of the country remain under investigation by security agencies.

“No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands. Whether elected leaders or ordinary citizens, everyone must respect the rule of law,” he said.

He further called on leaders across the country to emulate the example set by Nyakach and Kericho communities, saying their commitment to dialogue demonstrates that lasting peace is achievable.