President William Ruto has called for the arrest of those responsible for the deadly clashes at the Kericho-Kisumu border in Sondu.

On the opening day of his tour to Nyanza, the head of state said that Kenya has no time for people pushing for tribal hatred.

PHOTO | COURTESY President Ruto

He directed Interior Security Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to crack down on the culprits.

"There are people taking us backwards and we will deal with them the same way we have dealt with the bandits in the North Rift and Al Shabaab," he stated.

"Niwahakikishie ya kwamba kila mtu ambaye alisababisha mwananchi akapoteza maisha yake lazima akamatwe na apelekwe jela."

PHOTO | COURTESY President Ruto 

CS Kindiki transferred security chiefs from both sides of the border on Thursday as the administration tried to restore calm and normalcy in the area. Kindiki said that a multi-agency security team had been sent to Sondu.

"The government has deployed a contingent of specialist security personnel this evening to contain the escalation of violent crime in Sondu Town and its surroundings." "Lives have been lost, property has been destroyed, and civil order has been severely undermined over the last two days," he stated Thursday evening.


PHOTO | COURTESY President Ruto 

On the 5th of October, the azimio la Umoja coalition issued a statement demanding the interior CS appear before parliament to answer questions pertaining to the clashes. They claimed that prominent people were sponsoring the conflict.

"We see the latest incidents in Sondu as part of a long, on-again, off-again history of violence instigated by politicians who have on numerous occasions incited the various communities against each local leader who has been implicated in these activities," Azimio said in a statement read by DAP-K PArty leader Eugene Wamalwa.

"We are convinced that this violence is being sponsored by local politicians who have set their claiming part of Kisumu County during the envisaged boundary review," added Azimio.