At least 20 people have been killed and dozens wounded in clashes between nomadic tribes in northern Kenya, a lawmaker confirmed on Tuesday.

Raphael Letimalo said clashes between the Samburu and Pokot tribes began early Tuesday after rustlers raided a village in Samburu East district and stole animals on Monday night.

Letimalo said some bodies were still lying in open fields and in the villages, several hours after the incident occurred between the tribes which have been clashing over land and water for years.

"There was a raid and 18 bodies of those killed are still lying there.They are in the manyattas (houses) in my constituency. They have not been taken to the mortuary," Letimalo said by telephone.

"There is high tension because people in the area are worried. They fear for their security because the raiders are known people from the neighboring community," he added.

Arid northern Kenya has been hit especially hard this year. Letimao said many of the victims were women and children.

"They came to steal the animals and in the process clashed with the herders who tried to block their mission. They fought and they killed people. We are demanding security from the government because the situation is terrible if it continues like that," he said and blamed the government for failing to provide security.

Cases of cattle raids between the nomadic tribes in northern Kenya have been rampant where pastoralists also fight over scarce national resources such as water and pasture.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2009)