MANDERA COUNTY: THERE IS NEED FOR EQUALITY & ACCOUNTABILITY

Summary:
Mandera, with an increment of Sh1.2 billion, is the second biggest beneficiary should the new formula be implemented.

The Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), chaired by Mr. Micah Cheserem, launched marginalization Policy on 27th, February, 2013 at Stanley Hotel, Nairobi.

The Commission on Revenue Allocation was established under Article 215 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 with the main mandate of recommending the basis for equitable sharing of revenues raised nationally between the national and the county governments, and sharing of revenues among the county governments.

Populous counties will receive the most money when revenue is shared between national and county Governments with Nairobi, Kakamega and Bungoma receiving over Sh7billion each to top the list, the Commission on Revenue Allocation revealed.

Using the latest audited figures of Sh610 billion in government revenues collected last year, the CRA proposes distributing Sh200 billion to the counties leaving the national government with Sh410 billion for central government operations.

Mandera County, tops with an increment of Sh1.2 billion, making it the second biggest beneficiary in the country.

MANDERA EAST & LAFEY POLITICS: 2013

Like the other constituencies in the vast North Eastern Province, Mandera East still lags behind in terms of development, with very little activity in its predominantly pastoral economy.

Currently, there are no useful projects in place to improve the lot of the local people who are mainly nomadic pastoralists. They depend on their livestock, mostly camels, cows and goats for their survival. The majority of Mandera East residents rely on relief food supplies from the Government and donor organisations due to decades of severe drought which has killed many livestock. The local people say their interests have not been adequately represented in Parliament and addressed by the Government. High on their agenda is the economic backwardness of the local people despite the fact that they are endowed with abundant livestock. No one is helping them to identify markets to sell their livestock.

Education standards in the area are very low, while insecurity is prevalent, with banditry, cattle rustling and violent attacks occurring frequently.This state of insecurity continues to deter economic development and the initiation of projects that can benefit the people. 

A poor infrastructure and lack of communication facilities are the other major problems that plague Mandera East constituents. There is no single tarmac road in the area. Mandera East borders Somalia and Ethiopia and is made up of seven administrative divisions - Central, Finno, Laffey, Qalalio, Warangara, Harerie and Libehia.

The Murule clan of the larger Somali tribe are the predominant inhabitants of the constituency and they have a big say on who is elected. Then there are the Degodia and Garreh clans, who also influence the voting pattern but in a small chunk. The elders of the community are also deeply involved in determining who who runs for both the parliamentary and civic seats. This year, they are looking for Abdille to represent them in Mandera East while Abdi Mude Ibrahim, A former ECK Commisioner to represent them in Lafey District, a new Constituency 


During the 1992 General Election, the Murule Community elders threw their weight behind an MBA (Health Management) graduate, Abdi Mude Ibrahim, to run for the parliamentary seat on a Kanu ticket, but he opted to go to the UK for further studies. The elders then decided to support the former MP, Shaaban Ali Isaack, against the late MP Abdullahi Sheikh Ahmed (Abajana), who won the seat on a Party of the Independent Candidates of Kenya (PICK). A row erupted over the elections and the High Court ordered for a by-election. The late Sheikh once invited the former US Ambassador to Kenya Aurelia Brazeal to visit the constituency. Shaaban Isaack had held the seat temporarily before the by-election towards the 1997 elections.



Come the 1997 General Election, the Murule elders resolved to support Shaaban Isaack who had not sufficiently completed his five-year-term won through a by-electionThe elders still wield so much influence on Mandera East politics. Local political observers claim that the elders now want change and are locked in a series of consultations to decide who among the aspiring candidates will best suit the seat. Shaaban Isaack and Mude Ibrahim, who has since completed his further studies in the UK, are among those said to be in the race for the seat and both come from the big Yabarsein sub-clan who form a 70% Majority within the Murule Community. The two will have to fight it out in lafey District come the 2013 General Election unless the elders iron out their differences.

Previously, All the candidates have had to solicit votes from the minority Garreh and Degodia clans to claim the Mandera East Constituency. Abdi Hassan Haji (Ford Kenya), who was placed second position during the last General Election and we don't have proved report that he is eyeing something. He is one of the contestant capable of causing an upset.

The Incumbent MP, Mr. Mohamed Hussein alias Qaras had a more momentus period serving the people of Mandera East and with the coming of the general election 2013, he is not defending his seat but has opted to go for the Lafey Constituency seat. He was first elected to parliament in 2007 on an ODM Party ticket. This year, Since he fell out with The Prime Minister Raila Odinga, He was a Lieutenant of Raila's Rival, William Ruto. He also fell out with the community Elders and has since been told to run his own campaign in a style he thinks deem fit.

Previous candidates include another former MP for the area, Mohamed Sheikh Aden alias "Mohamed Ethiopia", Osman Dubane, Ismail Aden Yussuf, Abdirahman Abdinoor "Yam-Yam" and Mandera Boys High School head- teacher, Hassan Sheikh Ali. over the years, It's a mixed bag of contestants who will all have to apply all the tricks from their political armoury if they expected to win the seat.

2013 GENERAL ELECTION : MANDERA EAST & LAFEY CONSTITUENCY

MANDERA EAST CONSTITUENCY:

The candidate so far selected un-opposed from the Murule Community is Abdille and he will have to fight it out with other contestants from other tribes. Abdille will have to see how the issue of Lafey Constituency will be resolved so as to get a bigger share of Yabarsein Votes to compete for Mandera East.

LAFEY CONSTITUENCY

The Candidates include: 


Abdi Mude Ibrahim
Forty three-year-old Mude received his political baptism in 1988 when he took head on a former area MP, Mohamed Sheikh Aden alias Mohamed Ethiopia in Kanu's infamous mlolongo (queue) voting system. He, however, lost to Aden. Mude took his early education in Mandera before joining the Medical Training Centre in Nairobi. He later went to Birmingham University in UK to undertake a degree course in health management. Afterwards, Mude pursued an MBA (Health) programme at the University of Keele, UK.

Mude who is currently a member of the UK Association of Business Executives, had previously worked with the Government in Mandera and later became programme manager of several NGOs. He was also a member of the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya. Mude wants to be elected MP so that he can improve the education standards of the constituents by ensuring that they top the list of those who annually sit for the country's national examinations. He also wishes to initiate self-help projects that will sustain many of the unemployed youth and women.



Shaaban Ali Isaack
The Former who first won the seat of Mandera East thrice before getting defeated in 2007. Isaack was a District water officer before he made his debut in politics in 1992 when he was scheduled to be his first time to Parliament. His first stint in Parliament was very brief as he lost to the late Abdullahi Sheikh Ahmed in the general Elections and had to come in through a by-election in 2005. He captured the seat with an overwhelming victory on a Kanu ticket in 1997 General Election, but remained as a back-bencher like the majority of his Kanu colleagues from the vast North Eastern Province.

Isaack worked well with his constituents and Government authorities and has made some efforts that have seen roads repaired and many primary schools established in the constituency. 

A soft-spoken politician, Isaack, 48, went to Arabia Primary School and Garbatula National School. He later joined the Kenya Water Institute in Nairobi and obtained a diploma in water supply technology. This year, he wants to be elected the first MP to serve the new Lafey Constituency. If re-elected, Isaack would like to fight for the provision of better health care, improved standards of education and also ensure adequate clean water for both domestic consumption and for livestock.

KENYA-SOMALI GALA NIGHT KICC, NAIROBI

Welcome to the First Ever Kenya Somali Gala Night to be held at KICC Lenana Hall on the 26th May 2012 from 6.00pm

The Speakers range from Bankers, Lawyers, Doctors, Business Executives, MP's, Non-Somali Politicians and so on. Name them, RT Hon. Doc Raila Odinga, Hon Martha Karua, Hon Peter Keneth and many more will be in the event where, The History, Status of NEP, Past and Present will be discus sed while focusing on the Future.

This one of a kind event is aimed at bringing together the Kenya Somalis in order to interact, positively exchange ideas, explore the potential of our vast region, discuss the core issues hindering us from an accountable and responsible leadership that would propel us to the front page of social, political and economical
prosperity, not to forget a celebration of our beautiful and most fascinating culture.

WELCOME!!!

 

AL SHABAAB ASSAULT IN MANDERA ENCOUNTERS "THE PUBLIC"

TWO people, including an assailant, died  and eight others were injured in Mandera  town yesterday morning  following an attack by a suspected al Shabaab militia group. Three armed Somali militiamen raided a shop in the trading centre and shot a Kenya police reservist several times in the chest as he attended to his customers. 

Mandera DC Benson Leparmorijo said the three armed attackers stormed the shop in a busy street near the Banisa matatu stage in the border town and appeared to have been looking for the reservist. Immediately after the shooting they tried to escape on foot but members of the public who had witnessed the incident gave chase  and apprehended two of them. They disarmed them and heaped old tyres on one of them who they set on fire. Police saved the other suspect from the mob baying for his blood and took him to Mandera police station where he is being interrogated by detectives and anti-terror police officers.

"On realising that his colleague had been overpowered, one of the fleeing assailants hurled back a hand grenade to the pursuing  crowd causing eight of them severe body,” the administrator added. Leparmorijo said a loaded Ceska pistol and unexploded hand grenade were recovered from the burned attacker.  Those injured by the grenade are receiving treatment at Mandera district hospital.

A witness Amina Yussuf who owns a shop near the one of the shot reservist said the attackers were young men aged between 19-25 years and were masked. She said the attackers appeared to know their target. Mandera town council chairman Mohamed Adan Khalif said the daring attempt by the public to give chase was a sign that the public is dissatisfied with security personnel. The DC said the attacker who managed to escape disappeared toward the border Bulla-Hawa town.

The incident comes barely two months after other attacks left dozens of security personnel dead.

MURULLES CLAIM "LACK OF CONSULTATION" FOR MANDERA COUNTY GOVERNOR'S SELECTION

In a move likely to shake politics in Northern Eastern, Mandera's most populous community has named its nominees for top county positions. Leaders of the Gurreh community say those who have been ‘anointed’ will not be subjected to any competition in the General Election.

Captain Ali Ibrahim Roba

But in a quick rejoinder, Similar to the Grand Coalition style of President Mwai Kibaki and PM Raila Odinga, Members of the Murule community who are are more than 35% of Mandera residents complain they have not been "Consulted". In addition to that, majority of Garre Families have not voiced out their "word" on the issue. Some say, The selection will not "work" unless all are consulted.

In a traditional process that took more than two years, the community Council of Elders settled on Ali Ibrahim Roba for governor. In addition, elders say they have also identified nominees to run in three of the six local constituencies dominated by the Gurreh community. 

They include Mohamed Maalim Mohamud (Takaba constituency), Mohamed Abdi Haji (Banisa) and Mohamed Adan Huka (Mandera South). Mohamud is currently the MP for Mandera West, which is set to be split. The ‘anointed’ team is now viewed within the county as the elect leaders waiting to take over office. The elders say the decision was reached after consultations. "The process started more than two years ago and was concluded last December," said Maalim Alinur, the chairman of the 21-member Council of Elders representing the sub-clans of the Gurreh community.  "Potential candidates were asked to apply, they were interviewed and we zeroed in on those we have named," he said.

There were nine aspirants who applied to become governor. They were Abdikadir Adan Chitto, Mohamud Sheikh Adan and Ali. 

Chitto is a former clerk to County Council of Mandera. Ali is the Director of Flight Operation for DAC Aviation East Africa Ltd.

The council enjoys support from politicians, professionals, women, youth, religious leaders and the business community. Alinur said the council had opted for someone with no political history.

Abdikadir Adan Chitto

Ali told The Standard on Sunday that he would be consulting widely with the leaders from the other clans. According to 2009 census results, more than 40 per cent of the population in Mandera is from the Gurreh community while about 60 per cent is shared among Murule 35%,  Degodia15% , Shekali 5%, Shabelle 2%, Warabea 1%, Leisan 1%, Gabawein clans 1%.

While some residents have voiced concerns the move may kill democracy, the council argues that it was necessary to nominate the office holders to avert retrogressive political wars. Suleiman Mahamud Issak, the coordinator of Nomad Life Foundation, said he supports the elders’ action.

"The decision was binding because we realised that instead of wasting energy on campaigns and adding salt to the already volatile Mandera politics, aspirants should be vetted and qualified ones nominated," he said. Mohamud said the decision had been reached but will be amplified late.

"The other clans would be informed of the decision soon," he said. However, a section residents voiced concerns the move to nominate candidates for various elective positions may kill democracy. Abdirahaman Hajji Ismail, the vice chairman of the County Council of Mandera says whoever is nominated must be acceptable to all. "We haven’t been informed of the decision, meaning it is not binding," he said. Kulow Maalim Hassan, a Kenya Airports Authority director, said he is in the race for the new Banisa constituency seat.

Kulow Maalim Hassan

 "The decision to nominate someone for the seat is not binding. Anybody who thinks they will have a field day should better get prepared. Mandera County is not a monarchy. It is a cosmopolitan county," he said. However, the elders said the community had reached a decision after vetting aspirants.

Chitto, a consultant, said he would contest governor’s seat. "The council’s decision is not binding. I’m in the race," he said.

Prof Issak Elmi, a former lecturer at the University of Nairobi and chief researcher with Nema, said no seat in Mandera would go unchallenged. "The Constitution is supreme and everyone has a right. No group can decide for the masses. Only IEBC can prevent a candidate from running", he said.

Maalim Alinur, the Council of Elders Chairman, said everyone was party to the decision and those who lost in the interviews had signed for whatever outcome.

KENYA TROOPS WOUNDED IN LAND MINE BETWEEN MANDERA AND WAJIR

Kenyan official: 9 troops wounded by land mine

The Associated Press

Published: Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 - 5:04 am

GARISSA, Kenya -- A local official says nine Kenyan troops were wounded when their convoy hit a land mine while they traveled between two towns in Kenya's north, near the border with Somalia. District commissioner Kennedy Nyaiyo says it was not yet clear who was responsible for Sunday's explosion as the group moved between Wajir and the border town of Mandera. The incident is the latest in a string of attacks against the military and other targets in Kenya since the government sent troops into Somalia in October.

The Kenyan government said the incursion was a response to kidnappings and other attacks in Kenyan territory that it blamed on the Somali militant group al-Shabab. Al-Shabab has been waging a war against the weak U.N-backed Somali government for years.

In Another incident, An Administration Police officer was killed in Mandera on Sunday afternoon.

The first incident which occurred about one kilometre from Mandera town involved an attack on Administration Police officers while the second in Wajir involved military officers. “The AP’s were patrolling in Bula Hawa when they were attacked, one died while his colleague is wounded,” a senior police officer said. “They were patrolling on foot and he died on the spot.” Police believe the explosion was caused by an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED). His colleague who was wounded was rushed to the Mandera district hospital where he was being treated for burns and other related injuries.

In the Wajir-Mandera incident, Separately, nine military officers sustained injuries in a suspected landmine attack that occurred in Wajir town. Police said: “The soldiers were travelling in a convoy of three vehicles when they were attacked.” They were headed to Mandera.

“A military vehicle (Hamvee) drove over an IED-Improvised Explosive Device in Wajir. The vehicle was heading to El Wak. A mobile phone suspected to have been used to detonate the explosive was recovered from the scene,” Emmanuel Chirchir, military spokesman said adding that: “Two soldiers suffered minor injuries, the vehicle was damaged.”

Police reports however, indicated that ten soldiers had suffered injured.

Kenyan security personnel patrolling the Somalia border have been hit with a series of explosion attacks since Kenya sent its troops to fight Al Shabaab inside Somalia, often killing or injuring officers. Security forces at the border points are grappling with threats posed by the insurgents who have been laying landmines mainly targeting police and soldiers patrolling the Somalia border.

Kenyan officials have blamed the hard-line Al Shabaab or their sympathisers for spate of recent shootings and bombings, although armed bandits also operate in the border areas.

POSSIBLE CHOLERA OUTBREAK IN MANDERA KENYA

An outbreak of dengue fever and a likely Cholera Outbreak continues to be experienced in the northeastern Kenyan town of Mandera, close to the Somalia and Ethiopia borders, Where atleast 100,000 people are at risk, according to the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation.

According to the authorities, "The Dengue is a mosquito-borne infection that causes a severe flu-like illness, and sometimes a potentially lethal complication called dengue hemorrhagic fever.” and are urging Mandera residents to use mosquitoes nets and maintain hygiene so that they do to contract the disease.

In addition, the rains experienced now around Mandera and larger North Eastern Province leads to the risk of contamination of water sources and can lead to an increase in water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever, acute watery diarrhoea (AWD), cholera, and hepatitis A. Outbreaks of vector-borne diseases, particularly those spread by mosquitos, such as malaria, dengue and Rift Valley Fever are likely during the rainy season, and increases in cases of pneumonia and respiratory tract infections are common. More than 1,200 cases of dengue have been confirmed in Kenya’s Mandera District since Sept. 23. Flooding in Turkana and Pokot, areas in northwest Kenya, has caused a spread of malaria in the Upper Rift Valley, with outbreaks in Turkana, Kakuma, and surrounding districts. 

“Households remain extremely vulnerable to additional shocks as the severe drought has depleted herders’ assets and reduced crop production.” Oxfam Says

 





A local NGO, Northern Kenya Caucus in collaboration with an International NGO, HORN RESPONSE will carry out a one week Hygiene and Cholera Preparedness in many of Mandera's Locations.  The “Dengue Fever attack rate is very high but mortality is very low”, the ministry said in a statement.

A permanent river, Dawa, passes through Mandera. Health officials said residents had been complaining of mosquito bites during the day with the bites swelling.

“Using bed nets was impractical as the vector was biting during the day,” the ministry said. “The Public Health office has also noted the resistance developed by the vector to insecticides of different varieties (Icon and Deltamethrin mainly).” Health authorities have alerted all neighbouring districts and public awareness campaigns are ongoing, advising residents to seek early medical attention.

ARABIA SECONDARY SCHOOL.......We need more of this...

Schools like the above need a lot of support from the Government and Well wishers. We need to improve on the situation of our qualities of life by going overboard to support our basic social lives.

Schools like the above is for everyone and needs no political intrusion. Poor students can get some education through the CDF Mandera East Bursaries. We haven't seen any of that being disbursed.

IS OUR MHESHIMIWA LEANING TOWARDS "RUTO" LED ODM GROUP

But for how long. Those "Ruto" Group are just clouds passing with no meaningful political map to 2012.

Readers what is your say to our mheshimiwa..........Hon. Mohamed Hussein alias Qaras(Mtaani)....


Watch the Video here.............

MURULE GRAZING FIELDS.........Do you know some of them...?

Alungu rasa ,alungu gofa, tugerka farah gesei,qabrika abajana, mansa,lafey,komaraa liban, fino,kamorka bahawa,qoqayaha adan jirow,alibillow,arabia,dulyalka,welgarbi,hafura, hatful,hegallow,gabrow,hirmadi yarrow garweina, dashegi hussein hared, gariful, busbuska, bimaha berawayon,qalimaley,omarjiliow, burti lethi, sato-oroo, sogley,safo, soqo hills,hheir, qarfafa qoje, qanratula,fangamad, bambiga kalaroga,bambiga buunka, hadful, harai,haji ali,gari hills barhilla hills, bambo hills ,salaha gabano diqa,qabrija malaq, waranqara,






Damasa, kabo, wantey, dakadima, halimaboran, jarbalay, Qorijar, Bula maalim, Qalimaley, Buriga dulela, Dhuloyinka gubat, gathan, garweine, duhunta, arosyaha, dabesha, raraha, muhumed adow and haskusha, Gamor hussein durey,burta saqaf,bibta, daba naaget, duntow, dawaduba,gabri kheyra ali, Alijardesa, milaxa, gobagalla, Burja dur, beeraha dawaduba ,dashegaahmed nur, halima, garmaja, alijardesa, gelow, gobagala, hinwein, qaranrow, oda, hareri, fiqfiqyaha, ibrahim aflow, kalalut, Hegaaloow!, qabrigi allow, kamorki ali gurey, kamor dirdir,beraha gabrow, Mathax-maroothi, amatala,eireygon,qabrigi wathadaha, garabcada,furfursa,berfalay,takada qotharta,dusey,jehin,washaqan,burka, qeir, guthanla, rayo, muthufurta, korcas,halima shila, durweilow,harakara, nawanawa,ibrahim shilow,jabi bar,wili,athila,jida alanka,tuwer,danas,amin gurey,isak mathahey,dulatha rara,jir qamithi, garabka khalif qasim,yucubgeltur,jirda dabakarix,kobandaqa,dabanaged,kalajex,guthanla,mato, alas, qabriga sheikh barrow,ali jardesa,quraca yaqub,qabriga wathadaha,libiga abdow gabow,hirmatha gorod,libigi ibrahim rahweyna,dawaduba, Beer cawiyoon

LAFEY CONSTITUENCY NAMED IN IIBRC FINAL DRAFT

North Eastern Province is set to get seven new Constituencies added to the current 11.

 

Dujis, Lagdera, Wajir East and Mandera West will be split. The expansive Mandera Central will be split into three therefore making the mandera county get new 4 constituencies slots,can see the manipulation of abdikadir lawyer is working very well indeed,so meaning rhamu will be a constituency or are they counting Lafey constituency in the so called expansive mandera central?.total media hallucination.can see light in the tunnel lets keep focused and pray hard that justice will endure perspectively.

 

Lets get info from source close to Hon Mohamed Hussein Qaras n shed more light of watz goin on. we need lafey constituency,we deserve it .

 

Read more here

 

 

MANDERA COUNTY MUST TACKLE ALL THESE..............NI SISI TUMESEMA

HAMARA AND OTHER IIEC COMMISIONERS DONE A GOOD JOB

CDF 2009/2010 IN DETAILS

CDF 2008/2009 IN DETAILS

IIEC COMMISIONERS INCLUDING OUR OWN PERFORMED A VERY GOOD JOB

DETAILS OF "PART OF" OUR HISTORY CAN BE FOUND AT KENYA NATIONAL ARCHIVES

For those who happen to know nothing about the history of our people, There is this link and several other that are intentionally for the purpose of giving the history of the comunity  where a few old Wazees are mentioned.

Ukisikia about ADAN HIRSI, DALAHOW NOOR, ABDINOOR GESSEY, HAJI YARROW, ADAN DIISOW, HUSSEIN HARED, CHIEF AFTIN, SHARUB, ADAN ALOW, ALI ROBOW, SHEIKH BANDAS, MZEE OLAD, THE LATE ABAJANO , SHEIKH BARROW,  ALI SHURIE, NOOR AFFEY, Then don't get suprised. These are/were prominent people in our community not mentioning the whole group in Beledweeyne, Bulo Bardi, Jalalaqsi and other Hiiraan regions.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=298762300061&ref=mf

Above all these, were part of the history that is mentioned in the chapters of the Kenya Colonial administration, In the Kenya National Archives, where Mandera Town is mentioned as the centre of the Murulle land. This can clearly be found on Hansard reports, Hand over reports of various Colonial District Commisioners who were governing kenya and specially the NFD (Northern Frontier Districts).

While we tried our best to put Murule clan projections in history and in the context of modern 21st Century world, Now a facebook grouping has already been set where Murulles can also exchange ideas and have their opinion in a group form. We can send a cause and even address some of our own issues. Some people want to take advantage and infilitrate and even cause some "hatred" pretending to speak for some sections of Murulle, we should avoid that and concentrate what is good for our people.

WHY THE GARRES KEEP FIGHTING THE MURULLES ALL THE TIMES......

Mandera Peace Committe report from Dekha Ibrahim Abdi, an inspirational peace maker in NEP Kenya compiles outstanding reports used by World Peace direct to help in colficts and make peace. In her reports, you will find background to the conflicts and Dekha's work.

Even as renewed clan fighting in Mandera District between the Gharri and the Murulle clans intestified and left more than 20 people dead, calls for calm, peace have been advanced by all concerned and the government has been put on alert to put the matter to close once and for all. Scenes like the ambush that killed a 75-year-old man yesterday at Koromey village, a small hill about five kilometres from Mandera town, together with an army officer travelling in a convoy heading to Mandera from Arabia Division must come to an end once and for all.

But ask yourselves, what is the point of contention in the Mandera Clashes? Why is Mandera lagging behind in development, clans fighting each other, even after NEPIANS decided to end hostilities among various somali clans living in the provinces.


Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohammed had to sum up it all and called on the Government to move fast and contain the clashes before it becomes like that of Mt.Elgon and people arming themselves for self defence.

"Local leaders are in agreement that time to end the persistent clashes is now," said Mohammed, who spoke to The Standard at Parliament Buildings, on Wednesday.

Mandera district is prone to conflicts between the Somali clans who dominate the area. Clan clashes between the Garre and Murule Somali clans in Mandera district has so far claimed at least 150 lives since they first erupted (in this millennium) on December 2004. Ever since these two communities live in Mandera, back from the 1900's to the start of this millennium, clashes have been reported occurring once in a while. Of late, A number of issues have been advanced to explain the cause and genesis of this clan conflict.


In 1988, Mandera Central constituency was carved out from the then larger Mandera East where Murule dominate following devastating clan clashes between Murule and Garre clans in early 1980’s. This creation of a new constituency was envisaged at cooling growing tensions between the two clans over political representation just like the creation of Wajir North for the Ajuuraan clan who were always fighting the Degodia clan.With Mandera Central constituency formed and carved from Mandera East, the issue of political representation was solved but another problem was born. There emerged growing hatred and suspicion between the two clans. Differences began to widen to an extent that the clan leadership and chiefs from both clans started to openly mobilise their clan members for the domination of the other. And to worsen the already fragile situation, the KANU administration (especially between 1982-2002) created many administrative units (sublocations, locations and divisions) in hitherto community-grazing areas in the district, mainly for political mileage. The disputed Alango location (both clans claiming ownership of the two locations, one in Mandera East and the other in Mandera Central constituencies) is a good example of conflict arising from creation and or competition over administrative units. Chiefs and their assistants in the location and other neighbouring locations have been clamouring that their boundaries have been interfered with.

The Murule and Garre clans are accusing each other of harbouring and supporting foreign militia in their locations. Watering livestock at Alango Dam has often resulted to confrontations and armed violence with unpleasant repercussions. Although the creation of additional administrative units was meant to make ‘services closer to the people’, it is important to point out that that has not been the case in Mandera and adjacent districts.

These additional locations and sub locations have mainly contributed to the escalation of conflicts in the entire North Eastern province, because clans which felt they have an upper hand in the politics were "out manoeuvered" by others. On the other hand, the power struggle between different factions in Somalia has spilled over to the Kenyan side. Each of the clan has been trying to forge military alliance with their counterparts in Somalia.

The Garre clan in Mandera district has forged an alliance with their Garre kinsmen in Ethiopia and Somalia. They have armed themselves and are calling the whole region between Wajir, Moyale, Mandera as far as some parts of Ethiopia as the "Gharri Districts"..... This has several times caused the Gharri to fight some other clans like the Ajuuraan in Bute/Guraar, The Boranas in Moyale and the Marehaan in Elwak. The Garre alliance is also backed by Ororsame section of the Marehaan, a section that has been in loggerheads with the Eldera clan that supports the Murulle. It is also rumored that these alliances are always forged ahead of the general elections as each group intends to mobilize enough voters to sustain their political representation and or supremacy.

The Murule have also allegedly forged an alliance with the Eldera section of the larger Marehaan clan of Somalia, which are a power house in the Gedo region of Somalia. They are said to be armed for more confrontation as this "small wars" have become persistent to them. Competition over access to pasture and water resources in the district has been the traditional cause and trigger of conflict between the two clans.


The Garre community wants Murulle herders to be confined to their traditionally designated grazing areas. Murulle community who happen to own substantial number of livestock including camels but have a smaller grazing area are of the opinion that the former’s position is meant to confine them to a very small grazing area, which cannot sustain their huge camel herds and deny them access to pasture on the western flank of the district, which is mainly inhabited by the Garre.

The PC on the Kenyatta day celebration expressed a desire to finish this matter as urgent as possible. He said, the issues involved can only be sorted by the people of the region. So far, Security and military personnel have been deployed in Mandera and everything must be done to contain the situation.

If the Mandera situation has to be contained, the following scenario similar to the Gharri Ajuuraan clashes In Wajir North must also be taken into account and verified:


The Ajuran who reside in Wajir North had claimed:


That the Gharri decided for the creation of their own "private militias" to attack other peaceful clans including Ajuuraan, Boranas, Murulles and Marehaan while pretending they are for defensive purposes. This they claim, has been necessitated by the failure of the government to provide security. The Ajuuraan claimed Gharris have resorted to highway robberies along Wajir- Moyale roads.


Everywhere they reside, The Gharri people always complain of being subjected to extreme exploitation, violence and famine as in the case of Wajir North with the Ajuuraan. Gharris came to the Bute in 1979 after being declared vagrant from Moyale District and still claim exploited. This is not a case in Mandera District.

The Gharri always complain that the law of the land is against them and favours other clans.

The Gharri people have also been accused of having connections to various "other" militias and expansionists ideals to other clan terriotories. Ajurraan claimed Gharris wanted to take Bute and Gurar, which has fertile Agricultural land. This is the same case as t he Alango of Mandera East.

The Gharris are also accused of collaborating with the Ethiopian government in arms importation so as to use against the Oromo/Borana insurgency in Southern Ethiopia. This has become a legitimate accusation for wide spread exploitation and putting them at loggerheads with government of Kenya. The garres has earlier claimed the Ajuran has alliances with OLF, which had caused fear and despondency among the Gharri’s who support the Ethiopians.

The Garres feel superior to other clans in socio-economic factors in areas they consider their own or where they are allowed to stay. They claimed they were denied the right to acquire identity cards in Bute sub-district, the centre of the Ajuuran. They will never accept you to do that in Takaba or Banisa.

Even after several meetings between the Gharri and the Ajuuran in around 2001, partly funded by the Oxfam/Arid land, although the ajuran and gharri elders declared immediate cease-fire which agreed on the following:

It was found that:

The two communities (Gharri and Ajuuran) can share pasture and water in Bute and Gurar, same as allowing the Gharris to have pastures in Alango and vice versa.

The Gharris should stop their attacks from Ethiopia.


The Ajurans to open up Mandera –Moyale road for the Gharris and that they should co-exist, discuss resettlement of the people.




If peace is being sought, The government must contain the situation. If it's about border, Then even checking records from the Kenya National archives can help trace border points of the two communities way back in 1920's. Any other issue is irrelevant.

KENYA POLICE IMPOSES CURFEW ON MANDERA

A dawn-to-dusk curfew was imposed in Mandera on Thursday night after fresh inter-clan fighting claimed the lives of two more people.Four other people had been killed earlier when violence flared up between the rival Murulle and Garre communities following prolonged ethnic differences.

It's being reported that the situation has been controlled as at now but tensions remain. The Government instituted several measures to put the two communities into an agreement, which some are refusing to follow.

Area councillor Mohammed Ali (A Garre) of Mandera town ward told Capital News the renewed fighting began at about 10am on Friday and was still going on in the early afternoon at Komor area, about six kilometres from the border town. “Tension is very high at the moment, police have intervened and shot in the air but it appears they have been overwhelmed,” he said on telephone from Mandera town.

A senior Administration Police officer in the region said the curfew was imposed in the area at 6 pm Thursday until 6 am on Friday morning.“We arrived at the decision (to impose a curfew) because of the tension in town on Thursday evening. Everyone is now required to remain indoors at night,” he said.





Residents interviewed by Capital News in the region on Thursday said the two communities were fighting over the control of the border town which is largely inhabited by members of the Murulle community.

“The Murulle have been evicting members of the Garre community(who are encroching to their land) and this is a problem that has persisted for quite a long time. It keeps on coming up but this time it is more serious,” Abdi Dado(himself a Garre) of Komor Ward said.

The fighting started only hours after area MP Abdikadir Hussein of Mandera Central toured the region to call for peace and tolerance from his constituents.He accused the police of failing to put in place proper mechanisms to guarantee his people security, saying no effort had been displayed in finding a lasting solution to the chaos. The Government needs to tackle these issues once and for good.

Trouble started on Tuesday when over 100 families were displaced from their homes by raging floods due to torrential rains in the neighbouring Somalia.Those displaced have been putting up at the town and Komor area which was invaded by Garre youths who ordered them out, claiming they had invaded their land. Another senior police officer said, more than 20 suspects had been arrested after they were found torching houses in the town, many of who are Garres.

Kenya Red Cross officials who begun distributing humanitarian aid to the affected families announced Friday that the exercise had been suspended due to the increased insecurity in the region.“The exercise will only resume once peace prevails. Our officers are monitoring the situation in the region,” Kenya Red Cross Public Relations Officer Titus Mung’ou said.

Garre community have long been associated with causing troubles to their immediate neigbours as happened in their previous clashes with Ajuuran(Wajir North) and Boranas in Moyale area.

MILITIA ASSAULTS IN MANDERA KENYA

Heavily-armed Somali raiders have attacked a border camp in Kenya, killing 17 people and injuring more than 20 others, news reports say. The raiders, suspected to have entered Kenya from Somalia, fled with four G3 rifles and around 250 rounds of ammunition after hitting the camp near the border town of Wargadud in the northeastern districts of Mandera on Sunday.


Houses were also burnt during the incident, witnesses told Press TV correspondent in Somalia on Monday. The attackers are said to be hired by leaders of the Mareehan clan -- the largest in the region -- that has been involved in a land and water dispute with another clan. Following the raid, the Kenyan government dispatched security personnel to the area. The Kenya-Somalia border has been insecure after the 1991 toppling of dictator Mohammed Siad Barre, which plunged Somalia into lawlessness setting off civil war and unrest that has defied numerous attempts to restore peace.


The Kenyan Government has sent military personnel there.

SOMALI MILITIA STRIKES KENYAN GOVERNMENT

Suspected Somali raiders attacked a Kenyan border camp killing five people, a Kenyan police official said today.

The heavily armed raiders struck the camp near the border town of Mandera on Sunday, killing three civilians and two police officers. They stole four rifles and around 250 rounds of ammunition, said area police commander Christopher Okello.

"They killed five people, injured seven others and torched houses," Okello said. "We suspect they were raiders from neighbouring Somalia. We are pursuing them but so far, no recovery has been made."

The Kenya-Somalia border has been insecure since the Somali government collapsed in 1991, setting off civil war and unrest that has defied numerous attempts to restore peace. In the Sundays' incident, Two Administration Police officers and three other people were killed when The heavily armed militiamen (bandits) raided their camp in Mandera District. The raiders, said to be from Somalia's Elwak, also seriously injured another civilian during the 5am incident on Sunday. In the ensuing melee they stole four G3 rifles and 200 bullets belonging to Administration Policemen attached to the centre.

Mandera police boss Christopher Akello Odhiambo confirmed the deaths and loss of the firearms, saying the APs manning the centre were overwhelmed and appealed to area residents to volunteer information that would lead to the arrest of the bandits. Mr Akello said the security officers were caught unawares as the raiders surrounded them and fired indiscriminately. The two other officers whose guns the raiders made away with escaped on foot and ran for 30 km to Lafey along the Kenya-Somali border.

The porous border is insecure and residents have from time to time appealed the Government to deploy Military to secure the borders. Police posts are scarecely manned with few AP's, say 4-5 manning a whole location. The raiders also unsuccessfully tried to bomb a well that has been at the centre of controversy between the Gare and the Murule clans.

Their aim as North Eastern PC Josephat Maingi and PPO Stephen Chelimo claim was to create anxiety between the two clans. The PC and PPO together with ODM Mandera East MP Mohamed Hussein(Qaras) plus Safina's MP for Mandera Central Abdikadir flew to the area yesterday morning to help quell the tension.

The raiders, suspected to have entered Kenya from Somalia, fled with four G3 rifles and more than 200 rounds of ammunition when they hit the camp in Alungu location. Other Reports indicated the bandits were hired by leaders of a clan that has been involved in a dispute with another, over the Mandera Central District boundary. Houses were also burnt during the incident.

Mandera Central was curved from Mandera East in 1988 during the KANU era. Witnesses said the raiders were more than 50. Following the raid, the Government dispatched Military security personnel in the area. Mandera police boss Akello Odhiambo appealed to area residents to volunteer information that would lead to the arrest of the bandits.

MANDERA EAST MP, HON MOHAMED HUSSEIN ALIAS "QARAS"

PROFILE

Primary Education: Arabia Primary School: Mandera DEB.

Secondary Education: Wajir Boys High School -Wajir

University Education: Kenyatta University 1995 BA (Math's)

Last Job : General Manager, Hass Petroleum (K) Sharjah-UAE. He worked as an Assistant systems analysts for Kenya Railways.


Main challenges: poverty and unemployment and fighting drought and insecurity, which are perpetual obstacles in the constituency. E.g. his constituents are at loggerheads with Madera Central counterparts over pasture and water.

On being MP, Hon Mohamed says:

He says CDF can do wonders if managed properly, but lack of professional managers has been an impediment. He will bring fresh ideas and private sector skills to manage the fund. His priorities are communication, education, and health.


He will lobby government to improve roads and communication infrastructure. Education standard have been falling in constituency where ratio of boys to girls in school is 4:1 – and he will use constituency bursary funds and donor support to build schools, employ competent teachers and improve the teacher/student ratio.

The Mandera East MP Mohammed Hussein Qaras, elected on the platform of offering irrigation farming, believes relief food dependency should be a thing of the past. "We are not against relief food distribution, but it should be done under very severe circumstances," he says.


"Pastoralism is no longer sustainable due to weather vagaries. We will dig more boreholes and harvest rains in huge reservoirs and the water would be used for irrigation."

He says, His community needs to be educated on the need to keep a manageable number of livestock to check the mass deaths of animals during drought and desertification. The era of keeping hundreds of livestock for prestige is long gone, Qaras says.

AHMED SHEIKH TAKOY INTERVIEW ABOUT "TALIBAN"

FROM THE LAND OF TALIBAN WITH RARE EXPERIENCE

Mr Ahmed Sheikh Takoy, many of you already know him as "Takoy", the name of his father, surprised many when he accepted a job posting to Afghanistan at a time when the country was best known for insecurity.

Mr Takoy, 34, first worked with the Kenya Commercial Bank from 1994, before joining Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), French for doctors without borders as finance administrator.
In 2001, Mr Takoy worked briefly in Somalia and Sudan before being moved to Afghanistan as country administrator and finance manager.

As a result, Mr Takoy became the first African to work in such expatriate capacity with Médecins Sans Frontières.

AFGHANISTAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN

"Afghanistan was the biggest MSF mission in the world at the time and enabled me to cater for poor women and children, who I had great feeling for," Mr Takoy said.

Mr Takoy switched to UNDP in 2003, but remained in Afghanistan where he was in charge of the South East region dominated by the Talibans.

"This was immediately after the war between Talibans and Americans, which saw Talibans kicked out of power. There was a lot of hostility and risks," he said.

In an interview in Nairobi, Mr Takoy said being Black made him be handled with a lot of suspicion by Talibans since they believed most Blacks worked for America.

"They thought I was an African American," Mr Takoy, whose work involved provision of humanitarian assistance, said.

Many Afghans had also never seen a Black person and ran after him wherever he went.
One time Mr Takoy went to a packed zoo in Kabul to see wildlife only for people there to stop watching the animals and flock to him.

"They wanted to know how I communicated as children accompanying them touched my skin. I understood them because they had never seen a Black person. Curiosity is part of our life. I would probably have done the same if I saw a white person for the first time," Mr Takoy said.

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES

Mr Takoy said it was his Muslim religion that made the locals start accepting him as he mingled with them freely at mosque and during other religious activities.

Rough terrain, harsh weather and cut links with his family, apart from telephone conversations, for months, Mr Takoy said, were some of the challenges he experienced in Afghanistan.
With a population of about 30 million, Afghanistan is hilly and has one of the highest points in the world, making it difficult even for flight operations there.

"The whole country is dotted with mountains, the size of Mt Kenya. There are few roads and we usually took two days to cover a distance which in Kenya could take three hours," Mr Takoy said.
Motorists, he said, drive at less than 10km per hour and most people prefer riding on donkeys. At one time, Mr Takoy said, he transported $60,000 (about Sh4,200,000) on a donkey.
Driving is usually worse during winter, which lasts about six months due to formation of huge fog that covers the whole surface.

Temperatures rise to as high as 40 degrees centigrade during summer and drop to -24 degrees centigrade in winter. There were no air condition machines in Afghanistan when Mr Takoy served in the country.

Afghanistan is, however, beautiful, Mr Takoy said.

At Bandamir, for instance, seven lakes flow into each other and that water is pure blue and transparent.

Another tourist attraction is Dead Town, which was destroyed by Alexander the Great many years ago. The town lay in a small hill and is now completely deserted.

STILL IN CAVES

There is also a mosque, which was selected by Prophet Mohammed's son-in-law (for his use) and one cannot stand straight inside it as distance from top to ground has been decreasing.
Many Afghans, Mr Takoy said, still live in caves.

Mr Takoy, who comes from Mandera East, says that although the word Taliban sends shivers when mentioned in Kenya, he found the community friendly and hospitable. "Greeting is a must when they meet you. They also inquire about your health. They, however, have no urgency of time," Mr Takoy said.

Mr Takoy, was eyeing the Mandera East parliamentary seat which he contested in Last years 2007 elections, had attended Elwak and Rhamu primary schools, before proceeding to Huruma Secondary School in Nairobi.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the United States International University (USIU) in Nairobi.

Mr Takoy is married to Qureisha Maalim Ali and they have six children.

"I believe I have the capability to find practical solutions to redress the problems of Mandera East ," he says.

We believe we should give people like Takoy the mantle to run the affairs of MANDERA EAST CONSTITUENCY

NORTHERN KENYA FACING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

MANDERA-NORTHERN KENYA

Serious shortages of water and pasture for livestock are being experienced in the northern Kenyan districts of Isiolo, Mandera and Wajir as dry conditions continue, local leaders said.

"The situation is very bad in Mandera; people are moving across the border to Ethiopia," Mandera East member of parliament Mohamed Hussein Ali told IRIN.

"Residents from the district have yet to recover from a severe drought two years ago; [now] we fear the few animals that were salvaged will be wiped out," he added.

The rainy season had been expected to start in mid-March, the MP said, but because the rains failed, water pans, boreholes and wells had dried up.

"The country is focused on people who have been displaced by post-election conflicts," Ali said.

"We have been forgotten."

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CDF MEMBERS FOR MANDERA EAST CONSTITUENCY YEAR 2007-2012

The Above list shows the CDF members list for Mandera East constituency for the next 5 years term.We hope that we are going to go as per allocations so that our people can feel the effects of the CDF and Government resources.