CHRONOLOGY OF MANDERA COUNTY IN THE NORTHERN FRONTIER SET UP: MURULE HISTORY

For Those who are interested in the History of Northern Frontier District and specifically Mandera County Since 1883, You can send an email: dalahow@gmail.com 

Other Parts of the History Can be found with the Kenya Bureau of Statistics which controls the Kenya National Archives and other Documents.

Some of the Information have a Chronology of events also correlated with the above as below:

 

MANDERA COUNTY : MURULE - GARRE CLAN BORDER DEMARCATIONS : FOR CLARIFICATIONS

 

The Demarcations in Red shows the Border Line of the Two Communities. It Start in ELWAK POLICE STATION in Mandera Central Constituency through the B9 Road Connecting Elwak- Wargadud- Rhamu- Mandera Town (Mandera East Constituency).

Garre and Murule in Mandera County- Kenya are the two neighbouring communities that have lived together since time immemorial. We had several times co-operated on important issues in Mandera County including Politics, Peace and Security but that is not to say, we had no difficulties between ourselves. 

You hear so much about the Garre -Murule Conflict in Mandera? The Borne of Contention between these communities is simply LAND.

Garre have a bigger chunk of Land in Mandera County than the Murule Community but keep trespassing on Murule Community Land from time to time thereby causing anxiety, Unneccesary Conflicts and enemity between themselves. Issues which can be resolved easily but sometimes go out of hand. Several Clashes since the Colonial times between these communities have been recorded. 

During the Colki Caalim OF 1916,  in the Colonial times and in 1929, 1982 we had several clashes against each other that were clearly unneccesary. Many lives were lost and at times, our people, from both communities suffered badly.  Recent Conflicts between these communities happened in 2004, 2008, 2014 and lately as in 2020-2021 which culminated in the National Government sending the National Cohesion and Integration Commission NCIC Plus a host of Muslim Leaders led by Sheikh Umul - in what is now known as THE UMUL ACCORD to be signed between the Two Communities.

Murule Community previously were settled in Elwak Town as well as Wargadud but due to Pressure from the Garre Community,  they were forced out of the town.  They moved to LAFEY CONSTITUENCY and now Garre wants to move to LAFEY areas of Alungu, Yetho, Wanteey and Qurqura. The Border Line between the two communities is ELWAK POLICE STATION since Colonial Times through the B9 Road to Rhamu. 

The Garre community encroachment on to areas of Yetho, Wanteey, Qurquraa, Iresuku and Sogley not forgetting Sukela Tinfu and Jabibaar all on Murule Clan Community Land has been described as part of the problem in the UMUL ACCORD. 

WANTEEY / QURQURA IYO YETHO(YEDO) ARE IN ALUNGU WARD - LAFEY CONSTITUENCY

 

#War degdeg ah - 24/05/2021

GARRE iyo MURULE oo isku horfadhiya degaanka WANTEEY.

Reer guuraaga beesha GARRE ayaa maanta weerraro ku qaaday xoolaleyda beelweynta MURULE iyaga oo ku weeraraya goob biyo-dhig ah oo ku taal Agagaarka WANTEY. Dhawr qof oo dhaawac ah oo labada dhinac ah ayaa la soo sheegayaa.

Sababta ka dambeysa isku dhaca wali lama fahmin. Laakin ina la fahmo waaye WANTE, QURQURA iyo YETHO inay katirsanyihiin Alungu Ward oo katirsan LAFEY CONSTITUENCY. 

WANTEEY waa marin biyood muhiim ah oo u dhaxeeya labada Qabiil ee hore wax u soo dhex maray.

Dagaal beeleedka GARRE iyo MURULE ayaa ah mid ay ka siman yihiin maqalka dhagaha bulshada Rer Mandheera.

YETHO 2020 AGREEMENT JOINT COMMUNIQUE AT MANDERA GRANADA HOTEL

JOINT COMMUNIQUE ON YADO/YATHO DISPUTE ISSUED ON 15th AUGUST 2020 AT GRANADA HOTEL, MANDERA MUNICIPALITY.

After four days of marathon engagement between elders and leaders of the Garre and Murulle Communities, a lot of ground has been covered and consensus built on peace and cohesion within Mandera County.

A-21-member committee was selected comprising of representatives from both clans, county Government and National Cohesion and Integration Commission officials to deliberate on the contentious issues. We acknowledge and appreciate the presence and contributions of elected leaders-our MPs and MCAs as well former MPs who dedicated their time to try and broker peace during the negotiations.

After the stakeholders consultations which included full time participation of National Government through the Mandera County Commissioner Mr. Onesmus Kyatha and the County Security committee, a total of nine key issues were isolated out which consensus was reached on seven matters. However, two issues remain unresolved.

The committee agreed on the following by consensus:

1. Contestation over electoral and administrative boundaries

- Discussions on the issue of clan boundaries raised by Murulle community and contested by Garre community should be finalized by June 2021.

- Issues regarding contestations over electoral and administrative boundaries should be resolved as envisaged in Umul and related accords.

2. Previous agreements which were not honoured-Umul and related accords

- It was resolved that full implementation of 2005-2008 Umul and related accords should commence with immediate effect.

3. Contestation over pasture, water and grazing lands

- This issue was isolated and it was agreed that it should be resolved as per Umul and related accords.

4. On Unresolved grievances from past conflicts/Incidents

The teams agreed that elders convene to confirm and verify all incidents and resolve them using Umul and related peace accords and in line with Somali customary laws.

5. Incitement on social media and other platforms

The National Government arm on Cohesion, The NCIC (National Cohesion and Integration Commission) should arrest and charge any person peddling inciting messages with immediate effect. Such persons must face the full force of the law.

6. Government laxity in apprehending criminals

Perpetrators of conflict must be arrested and dealt with accordingly in a court of law.

7. Presence of armed militia from both clan

The clan elders will take full responsibility for the disbandment of any existing clan militia. Immediate cessation of all hostilities should commence with immediate effect. The meeting despite making great progress, failed to reach consensus on the following two issues:

8. Creation of new settlements, Locations and enclosures in disputed areas

9. Development programmes in contested areas that trigger inter clan conflict.

The government resolves that the following guidance should be implemented going forward in the interest of peace and cohesion:

a) That the 14 member negotiation team together with two religious leaders should go to the conflict areas to preach peace and cohesion.

b) That the two communities should propose names of 5-7 neutral arbiters to mediate them further on the contentious issues.

c) That the mediators should commence the process as soon as possible and must be completed within the next two months Maximum

d) The national government and county government should invite all the stakeholders to help in the identification of the constituency boundary and both levels of government to demarcate the boundary to avoid any future dispute.

e) That there should be no further development in Yado, also called Yetho or Yedho.

f) Government to disband all armed groups within the conflict areas and take any other measure necessary to contain the situation.

Ends.

MURULE - GARRE -GHARRI PEACE AGREEMENTS IN 2005/2006 ERA

 The #MURULE & #GARRE resolutions of 2005 dispute.

Resolution 1.

It was judged, after tabulations of deaths and injuries caused by the conflict and agreements to pay compensation according to Somali Customary Law, that the greater losses suffered by the Garre should be compensated.

It was agreed that Murulle would pat KSh. 7,600,000 in three installments, three million on signing, Ksh. 2.3 million by 30th October 2005, and a final Ksh 2.3 million by April 2006.

It was agreed that a sum of Kenya Shillings one million, which had been paid by the Garre and held by the Mandera DC, be returned to them.

Resolution 2.

After payment of Phases 1 compensations, combined. delegations of Garre and Murulle elders would go to the hot spots and ‘preach peace.’ Then payment would be made at the ground level of the compensation, and there would be a return of displaced urban people to El Wak, Lafey, Wargadud.

Resolution 3.

It was resolved that there would be no compensation for loss of wealth and property, but Garre would pay Kenya shillings six hundred thousand (600,000 Ksh) to repair houses.

Resolution 4.

It was agreed that rapists would be handed over to the government and there would be no acceptance of payment to forgive this crime. Where clear evidence was lacking, an Islamic oath would be used to establish innocence, administered first to the accused, then to the woman. Injuries would be dealt with according to the Islamic Sharia.

A woman who was raped would be paid dowry equivalent to what is normally paid for women getting married; further compensation would be sought if the victim was a virgin. Farms and pasture land would be separated by clear fencing, and farm owners should guard their farms during the day.

Livestock owners would pay for transgressions by their stock; if transgression were proved to be deliberate the culprit would be arrested and made to pay for damage caused.

Nomadic communities would have to respect the traditions of the place where they move to, and accept the area chief as their chief.

Any conflict that arose would be resolved through elders of the host community. The host community should have patience and deal with migrants tolerantly.

Damage actions against trees and vegetation were prohibited, and such actions should be reported and punished. Murderers were to be handed over to the government. In unclear cases, the oath would be used. If a group of elders claimed compensation for the murder of one of their own, the oath would first be administered on 50 elders from those claiming compensation.

If the 50 elders agreed and underwent the oath, their claim would be accepted and they would be paid. If they declined to undergo the oath, then 50 elders from the accused the clan would be asked to take the oath; if the accused clan elders under oath swore they were not transgressors, no payment for compensation should be made.

If both sets of elders decline to undergo the oath, the case will be adjourned until clarity is found; Elders would undertake to control crowds, and avoid any incitement that leads to conflict.

Resolution 5.

It was resolved to ask government to release all those who had been captured by security forces in the name of the conflict.

Resolution 6.

Conflict over pasture and water were not resolved; Issues of peaceful coexistence not solved; Conflict over administrative locations were not solved; The killing of Garre at Jabibar 20 April 2004 unresolved.

Resolution 7.

It was resolved to create a standing committee, made of 20 persons, including 6 religious leaders, and 7 elders from each clan, Murulle and Garre, to oversee the implementation of the resolutions.

It was agreed that not every incident will be treated as a violation of the accords until the elders from violating community accept that they have failed to resolve the issue at hand.

YADO - YETHO - ALUNGU WARD, LAFEY CONSTITUENCY

                       

Yetho is an area in Lafey Constituency particularly the Alungu Ward and is a grazing Ground. 

Of Late, we are hearing there are people from the neigbouring Tribe, Garre who have settled in Yetho, sometimes written as Yado or Yedo.  We have several times advised our Neighbours that they have a lot of land in Mandera County. They should live in other areas and leave us alone.

Murule Community used to Live in Elwak Sub-County in Mandera County but our Neighbours told us to leave and move to Lafey. We Complied and moved to Lafey Constituency. Our Border with the Garre Community is along the Mandera -Rhamu-Elwak and Kenya Somalia Border. We try to advise our neighbours everything and it is really getting our of hand. 

Garre and Murule have fought several times and we need to think about these before it becomes a serious issue. Garre have fought with almost all communities including Degodia in Mandera Rhamu Area, Ajuuraan in Wajir North, Borana in Moyale and Marsabit area. They also fight with Marehaan and accuse them as refugees in Mandera County. 

We urge the Kenya The National Cohesion and Integration Commission, The Kenya National Police Service, The DCI and All Government of Kenya officials who know this issue to mitigate this impending crisis as we have tried our best to convince these complicated neighbours to find some other ways to stay in their areas to no avail.

Please once again, avoid increasing tension and putting innocent people lives in risk especially  in Yetho (Yado) and Wanteey areas....I repeat, Murule were living in Elwak Sub-County and Garre Told us to leave for them...Let them not follow us in Lafey Constituency. Garre have a big land in Elwak upto Takaba upto Moyale....what do they want from Murule Land.....Here, we are urging people and all responsible to avoid Conflicts and putting people into risk....as this is a serious case....

Also have LAFEY CONSTITUENCY MP Hon. Abdi Mude Talking about the same here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNrz8thqtYQ