A villager has been shot dead in fresh ethnic clashes between Walenchoka and Wanchori clans of the main Kurya tribe.

The Kubiterere villager was killed when law enforcers from the Sirari police special zone district were called in after members of rival clans, armed with traditional weapons, engaged in a physical confrontation.

The acting Tarime-Rorya special zone commander, Mr Constantine Massawe, told The Citizen yesterday that the incident took place at Kubiterere village where members of the Walenchoka clan were tracing 3,000 lost cows.

Upon arriving at the border with their rival Wanchari clan, the other side resisted, and this resulted into the fighting that also saw two households being set ablaze.

"The police officers were cautioned by local leaders and arrived in time, only to see the clans fighting against each other. But efforts to disperse them peacefully proved futile," Mr Massawe said, explaining:

"The police officers were forced to open fire in the air; yet members of the two clans continued to fight."

As a result the law enforcers shot dead one villager, Mr Khamis Mang'are, 20, a resident of Kubiterere village, he added. Local leaders at the village said a number of houses were set ablaze, thus rendering a dozen or so of the villagers homeless.

The Mwema ward councillor, Mr Joseph Mchereri, said at least three households were reduced to ashes, but the number of injured villagers was yet to be established.

"The area is located a few kilometres from the border with neighbouring Kenya. So some villagers crossed the border to seek medical attention and their number has not yet been established," he said.