Six people have been killed and more than 20 houses burned in ethnic fighting in Olpusimoru in Narok county, about 150 kilometres (93 miles) from the capital Nairobi.

At least a dozen others have been injured in the clashes that started over the weekend and are being treated in local hospitals.

"We have 13 people with arrow injuries admitted at Narok Referral hospital and Olenguruone," Rift Valley regional commissioner told journalists on Tuesday.

The violence between the Kalenjin and Maasai communities is alleged to have been triggered by livestock theft, though the authorities have also blamed politics for the rivalry between the two.

"Some of the politicians have been using Narok grounds to incite communities in the name of giving donations, we will not allow that," The Standard newspaper quoted Mr Natembeya as saying.

Security forces have been deployed to the area to deal with the situation.

This is not the first time ethnic clashes, which are linked to resources but often said to be fanned by political leaders, have occurred in the area.

Similar clashes in September 2018 left four people dead and dozens of houses torched.

More houses were burned and one more person killed in subsequent violence towards the end of that year.