Kenyan leaders on Friday condemned, in the strongest terms, the killing of innocent citizens in Tana River County where at least 41 people lost their lives in inter- clan clashes in Tana Delta area in southeast region.

In separate statement President Mwai Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka issued directives to security forces to ensure peace returns to Kipao village where the massacre took place on Friday morning.

Condoling with the bereaved families, President Kibaki said no effort will be spared in ensuring perpetrators of the heinous act are brought to book.

"The President, at the same time, instructed security forces to move with speed and get to the bottom of the matter as soon as possible," said a statement issued in Nairobi.

Authorities in Kenya said at least 41 people have been killed in fresh clashes between two rival ethnic groups in the southeastern Tana River region.

A group of ethnic Pokomo, armed with spears and firearms, raided a village belonging to the Orma people in the pre-dawn hours of Friday.

Both communities have lost lives and livestock, but police either failed to respond to the attacks or arrested people and then released them without investigations.

Reports from the area indicated the politicians could be behind the attacks to incite ethic clashes between the two warring community of Orma and Pokomo.

The Kenya Red Cross said several children and women died in the attack in Kipao village, during which at least 45 houses were set on fire.

In his statement, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka who also send message of condolence to the bereaved families called for immediate observance of peace and cessation of hostilities following the renewed attacks.

Musyoka said the continued fighting over resources between the two groups was threatening, peace and security and retarding area development in the area.

"This continued animosity should stop immediately and leaders and residents from the two communities should come up with mechanisms of solving their differences without resorting to clashes," he added.

Musyoka urged leaders in the country to promote peace and harmonious relations especially now that the country is preparing for the forthcoming general elections.

Regional police commander Robert Kitur said they have identified where the attackers came from and are pursuing them. The two groups have waged a series of deadly attacks and revenge missions as part of an ongoing dispute over land and water.

Political analysts said some of the killings may be related to increased tensions surrounding next year's general elections.

Kitur said 13 children, 6 women and 11 men from the pastoralist community of Orma were killed in the dawn ambush. "Our officers on the ground have recovered more bodies from the torched houses raising the death toll to 41," Kitur told Xinhua by telephone.

He said the recent attack is major setback in restoring peace in the area even after the government developed over 1,000 paramilitary officers in the area.

The disarmament exercise has not been successful after the one of the community refused to surrender their rifles to the government.

"We are appealing to the communities to surrender their rifles and coexist for the interest of the development, this fighting will total uncalled for and will deal with them decisively," he said.

"We are appealing for peaceful coexistence among the two communities. Police alone cannot restore peace in the area," Kitur said. The regional deputy police commander said there was no arrest as a contingent of police officers have been deployed in the area.

In his statement, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the festive season was coming to the people of Tana River with a mid gloom, pain and tears as a result of renewed violence in the area, terming it "completely unacceptable."

He said the people of Tana River are Kenyans who deserve the joy, hope and peace that are supposed to be the hallmark of the Christmas and New Year seasons.

"I want to appeal to our security officers and our administrators to stand by our people in Tana River and save them from more deaths, fear and uncertainty that this violence is planting in the region," Odinga said.

"I appeal to our security to ensure that not an extra life is lost. It is time we all say enough is enough. This shameful, embarrassing chapter needs to close permanently."

Kenya Red Cross Society Disaster response team said 16 casualties who sustained bullet and crude weapon injuries have been taken to the Malindi District Hospital.

The team is currently attending to the casualties on the scene and another team from the KRCS headquarters has been deployed to airlift critical casualties for more specialized attention, said Mwanaisha Khamis acting KRSC secretary general in coastal region.

The east African nation is grappling with sporadic conflicts in the Tana Delta in southeast region and its northern part as communities fight over water and pasture.

Tension and rivalry between Pokomo and Orma communities which have been ongoing for decades resulted into the death of 120 people and over 5,000 displacements since August.

The most recent clashes started mid August when members of the pastoral community, Orma invaded farms belonging to the Pokomo. The attack prompted the Pokomo to retaliate by attacking Orma huts early on Aug. 22, killing 52 people.

The violence in August and September was the culmination of smaller-scale attacks, cattle raids and counterattacks since January between the ethnic Pokomo and Orma communities.

Livestock herding is the main livelihood and source of income in northern and some parts of eastern Kenya, and the hike in cattle thefts threatens to ignite cross-community reprisals and raids that could set the stage for a surge in ethnic fighting in the region.

While Pokomo accuse the Orma of allowing livestock to encroach on their farms and of destroying their crops, the Orma complain that Pokomo farmlands are too close to the banks of the Tana River and prevent the herders from using the river to water their cattle.

Clashes between the rival cattle herding pastoralists in the region are common, with herders often carrying guns to protect their animals, but the recent fighting has been unusually heavy.