RHAMU - MANDERA COUNTY
By this time, many of you must have heard about the clashes between Degodia and Murule communities that started 2 weeks ago in Rhamu, a small town in Mandera county. The clashes are ongoing as we write. The Mandera enclave is always in the news as a border region connecting Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. Al Shabaab operates around the border, sometimes waylaying people and causing havoc but that is another story for another day.
Al Shabaab is a known issue and the Government is dealing with it in so many dimensions although some communities use it as a pretext to scare other communities.
But, there are periodic clashes. There were clashes between Degodias and Garres over land issues sometime back that led to several Kenyans as well as 'Ethiopians mercenaries' perish on both sides. It was vicious as both Degodia and Garres have their clans also on Ethiopian side. That was sometime back....but now, it is again between Degodias and Murules.
ETHIOPIAN REFUGEES:
The bone of contention this time also is about Land ownership. Degodias - some of them, Refugees from Ethiopia, have been crossing into Kenya for sometime, getting IDs and other documents through their Kenyan relatives and are now causing problems on the Kenyan side - they need more land. They are looking for a settlement and are poised to settle in Rhamu - a town settled by all Mandera clans but sorrounded on many sides by the Murule community Land. They are said to be specifically encroaching on Murule community Lands with the assistance of their relatives in Kenya. 2 weeks ago - obviously with the assistance of their Kenyan relatives, they burned a Murule Bulla Tawakal settlement in Rhamu Town in the hope of pushing into nearby Murule community settlements. The Murules responded immediately and did a vice versa burning a Degodia Bulla settlement thereafter.
MURULE BORDER
It should be noted that, Murules have a colonial border with both Garre and Degodia along Elwak - Wargadud - Rhamu - Sala Road towards Mandera. That was captured in a 1959 Colonial Survey of Kenya tribal distribution map that is with the Government of Kenya. Further, both Wargadud and Rhamu previously had Murule chiefs. There were Murule settlement also in Elwak but no more. One, Chief Abdinoor Gessey was a Chief in Rhamu before Kenya got independence.
MANDERA CENTRAL/MANDERA NORTH
Historically, before 20 years ago, Degodia had only 2 MCAs in the whole of Mandera county.
That changed after influx of Ethiopia refugees from as far as Filtu and Ado. 15 years ago, they started land expansion in Mandera and initiated clashes with the Garre community in Mandera, so that, they are given a political seat.
Communities sat down and it was decided that since Mandera Central was big, it could be cut into two paving way for Elwak South as well as Mandera North, with it's seat at Rhamu, to appease the Degodia. Both seats were occupied by Garre MPs at that time.
Degodia resisted and created further tensions and years later, the MP for Mandera North became a Degodia.
They didn't just sit pretty. They again continued expanding their influence bringing more Degodias from Ethiopia to defend the Mandera North seat against the Garre Community....
N.B, I don't know why NSIS is not aware of this migration to Mandera Rhamu area...it will be prudent to have advised the Interior ministry about this, so that, it doesn't cause further tensions...The Mandera Security committee knows the history.
Having achieved a parliamentary seat, with Rhamu being the seat of the Constituency, they assumed, Rhamu is also theirs and only Degodia can settle there. Little do they know that, the First Rhamu Chief was a Murule when they were few and many of them were still in Ado, Ethiopia.
Through their expansion plans, Degodia fought the Garres at Rhamu and Banissa areas - trying to create further settlements within them.
The Garres resisted and the clashes, culminated in a peace deal even after so much was lost.
Then, we had almost a 3 year hiatus until this week, when Degodias started new clashes, in 2 areas. In Wajir with the Ajuuraan and this time, with the Murules around Rhamu, Mandera County.
By virtue of having an MP, Mandera North and several MCAs, Degodias later cut deals to get a Deputy Governor of Mandera position to up their stakes. After getting the position during the 2022 election, they started showing a superior inclination towards Mandera Politics where, they felt they can expand their settlements into other clan's territories by all ways possible. Currently, they have started pushing into Murule Lands within Rhamu Road Border area and adjacent bullas....on the assumption to get more land to claim (electoral seats) during the an upcoming IEBC Border review. They feel, IEBC can allocate them another constituency by grabbing parts of Murule Rhamu Border. That is what is causing the recent clashes.
MANDERA EAST:
On the other hand, Murules have been lenient with them over time. They have never chased them from their land but went ahead granting them spaces to live in Aresa, Hareeri and Arabia.... That courtesy, has led them to believe Murules are weak and don't care about their community land.
PEACE PLAN:
After last week clashes, The County Commisioner on orders from RC NEP and Interior CS Professor K. Kindiki initiated a peace plan in Mandera where MPs, MCAs and elders from both communities came together and announced cessation of hostilities. The clans agreed, infront of cameras to not create further skirmishes but it looks the Degodias, were not serious. Their leaders always speak good in Camera but incite their communities at night.
The Government was again taken by suprise when after that meeting, Degodia breached the ceasefire, struck again, descended and destroyed further Murule Rhamu settlements. The Murules have not responded but will, I believe, waiting for the Government of Kenya, who were (the Guarantors of peace between them) to act or be seen Powerless.
Degodia leaders(MPs,MCAs, Businessmen) will be seen on TV preaching peace which they have through incitement, breached it...they will pretend to be asking for Peace, but just showing their mischevious behaviours. That will not be tolerated by us.
Either the Government of Kenya acts or leave us deal with these Degodia Ethiopia gangs ....The Government knows Degodia causing Problems everywhere from time immemorial and does nothing. Degodia either, do not learn anything after the Wagalla massacre in Wajir County - where they were rounded up because of their aggression on Ajuraan in 1983-1984 era or do not fear the GOK anymore.
We, Murules will not want Peace if everybody doesn't want Peace. Waswahili husema...Amani haiji ila kwa Upanga....
We also don't want another Wagalla Massacre happening in Mandera county. Let the Government handle the situation and confine Degodia to their settlement far from Murule areas.
We need to act fast.
