Hatred that never seems to end

The killing of a local Borana chief in 2005 triggered a massacre between the Boranas and their Gabbra brothers. Although tensions since have calmed down, hatred is still in many people’s hearts

By Lilian Njogu

22. November 2007

Despite its modest size, the Northern provincial town of Marsabit is residence to a variety of tribes, mainly pastoralist of nilotic or Cushitic origin. The Borana and the Gabbra both belong to the latter and share their language. Traditionally the Gabbras have been considered a sub tribe of the Boranas, but that has changed over the past few years as the two communities have fought each other fiercely around Marsabit.

Trouble began in 2005 when Chief Boru from the Borana community was killed by the Gabbras in a village known as Bubisa, when he was on his mission to rescue his cattle from the Gabbra. Although it’s almost two and a half years ago the two communities have never resolved their conflicts. People in Marsabit would say that they are like oil and water that never mix.

Widow holds grudges
Elema Boru, the widow of the late chief, says she is still traumatized by the death of his husband. She says the Gabbra has killed the chief out of hatred since he had surrendered for negotiations before they killed him.

“He was found holding grass in his hands. According to the Borana tradition that means he had surrendered himself for negotiations hence should not be killed,” the widow explains.

16^th June 2005, the date of the killing is a milestone in Elema Boru’s life and in her view of the Gabbras, she states.

“Since that day I always hold grudges with anybody as long as he/she is a Gabbra. I don’t associate with them neither do I like seeing their faces because they always remind me of the late chief.”

Hatred on both sides
Animosity against the other side does not only thrive within the hearts of those who have suffered loss of husband or sons. On the other side partnernews met Jane Baye from the Gabbra community. Her feelings towards the Boranas are at least equally hostile. She agrees that the conflicts started when the chief died and the Boranas took revenge towards the Gabbra. But above and beyond that she does not agree with the Boranas on much.

“The Boranas said the chief had been killed by the Gabbra, so they decided to revenge. The Boranas started beating Gabbras and even when the MPs tried to calm down the situation, they could not listen. They went ahead and killed at least 26 children and 65 adults in Turbi from the Gabbra side”, she said with so much anger on her face.

MPs incite to fight
She further said the local Borana MPs had caused more conflicts because he incited the Boranas to fight for their rights. She noted that the division of Marsabit to three constituencies had divided the people and each wanting Marsabit to belong to them. With the elections nearing, Baye says her people are afraid that the Boranas will fight them because they are a small community:

“The Borans have been evicting us from our land yet they pretend to create peace which is the opposite of what they do. I personally and many other Gabbras talk to the Boranas but not with an open heart. We still hold grudges with them for killing people and taking our land. They are very violent, the other day they killed a three days old child and the mother by slaughtering them on their neck. These are very inhuman people.”