Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki Friday gazetted 12 locations in Tana River County as disturbed areas.
The locations will be treated as disturbed areas for the next one month, according to Kindiki.
This will allow multi agency teams on the ground to conduct their operations targeting the groups behind inter clan attacks that have left 18 people dead.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 106 (1) of the National Police Service Act, 2011, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, in consultation with the National Security Council, declares the following parts of Tana River County as security disturbed and dangerous,” the notice reads in part.
“This notice shall take effect on October 11, 2024, as from 6.30 p.m. for a period of thirty (30) days and may, at any time be withdrawn or continued in force for such further period as the Cabinet Secretary may, in each case, by notice in the Gazette direct.”
The directive follows a wave of tribal clashes that have seen tens of lives lost over the past few days.
The 12 locations include Madogo, Areri, Saka, Sala, Mororo, and Mbalambala locations in the Bangale sub-county.
The others are Hirimani, Hosingo, Dukanotu, Chewele, Nanighi, and Bura locations in Tana North Sub-county.
At the same time, Inspector General of the National Police Service Douglas Kanja has also banned the possession of firearms in the same locations effective, October 11, 2024.
Kanja directed all firearm holders to surrender them to the nearest police stations.
He said these individuals will have their firearms returned once the locations are declared safe.
“On the taking effect of this notice, all inhabitants of the said areas are ordered, with immediate effect, to surrender all arms in their possession to the nearest Police Station, Police Post, Police Camp and National Government Administration Offices during the hours of the day for safe custody.
“All arms surrendered shall be returned to their owners upon the revocation or termination of this notice,” the gazette notice said.
The new directives come hours after at least six more people were killed in new inter-clan fighting in Matagala, Tana River.
According to the police, the death toll has risen to 18, while dozens of others are in hospitals while several houses were burnt down following recent attacks.
The fighting between communities began nearly a week ago in the Anole area before spreading to other villages, including Nanighi officials say.
Hundreds of residents from these villages have fled their homes for safety and refuge.
Three Members of Parliament from Tana River County were on Friday grilled by police in connection with ongoing inter-clan clashes that have so far claimed at least 18 lives.
Also grilled is a local Member of the County Assembly.
Detectives at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said they had summoned a top county official and another legislator for questioning.
Police say they will forward findings of the probe to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions for action.
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