Gideon Moi urges structured action over Mwingi-Garissa Road tensions

Saturday May 2, 2026

The Kenya African National Union (KANU) has appealed for calm and restraint after a surge of insecurity along the Mwingi–Garissa Road corridor in Kitui County.

KANU chairman Gideon Moi said the recent violence was a matter of serious national concern and sent condolences to the families who have lost relatives.

“Resource-based disputes must never be allowed to descend into violence, senseless killings, or wanton looting,” Moi said.

“The loss of life and destruction of property only deepen divisions and undermine the prospects of shared progress.” He called on the affected communities to embrace dialogue, restraint, and respect for the rule of law.

KANU Machakos County Chairman Eddie Kivuvani likewise urged residents to remain calm while pressing the authorities to move swiftly.

“Let us choose unity, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence,” Kivuvani stated. He also urged the government to deliver justice for victims and ensure those responsible are held to account.

Violence along the Mwingi–Garissa Road corridor

The appeals come in the wake of a deadly April 23, 2026 attack in Kwa-Kamari, Tseikuru Ward, and Ukasi in Nguni Ward, where about 40 armed assailants overran villages and a police station.

Eight people were killed, among them a 14-year-old pupil, James Mutemi, and several properties were wrecked, including shops, a petrol station, and a motorbike.

Tempers flared further when residents in Mwingi Town blocked the Mwingi–Garissa highway, bringing transport to a standstill and choking business activity.

Police efforts to clear the crowd sparked running battles, with officers deploying teargas as looting swept through shops and traders shut down on what was otherwise a busy market day. Kitui Central MP Gideon Mulyungi was caught in the mayhem and forced to flee, while buses plying the Nairobi and Garissa route were left stranded.

Inter-county security response and government action

The two leaders agreed to strengthen joint security coordination, improve intelligence sharing, and regulate livestock movement corridors. They also pledged support for affected families and closer inter-county cooperation despite the fact that the counties do not share a direct border.

Malombe called on the national government, including the National Police Service, GSU, Kenya Wildlife Service, and Kenya Forest Service, to remove camel herders from Mwingi National Reserve and operationalise newly built police stations along the Kitui–Tana River border, among them the Kwa-Kamari facility.

Mwingi Town remained heavily policed as leaders pressed for urgent action to restore order and prevent the situation from deteriorating further.