DEVELOPMENT: MANDERA EAST CONSTITUENCY

DEVELOPMENT IN MANDERA EAST IN PERSPECTIVE:

As we cometo the election year, every community vote people of integrity and capable people who can transform the life of his people to the parliament.

Us here in MANDERA EAST, we are lucky that after a period of close to quarter a century, our hardwork is finally translating into fruits and we are seeing some development record, although compared to other neighbouring constituencies, we are way back.We still have to thank Allah for saving our people and their few animals when famine and drought broke on us two years ago.

To put Our community in perspective will not reveal so much but we have made great stride in matters of education as education has become a backbone in every society.Many families have enrolled their children in schools which have sprouted almost every corner of the constituency.

University student enrollment from the Murule community in particular increased considerably during the past 10 years through initiative from our leaders and Old men in removing obstacles to bursaries to secondary school students and so on.Poor students have now bursaries both from the Government either through the CDF or other donor agencies.

They can pursue their education better than it was 20years ago.

In Mandera, Students both boys and girls were joining Schools far away from their families.But Now through joint development through the CDF and other donor agencies like USAID, Islamic Relief International and CJTF-HOA based in Djibouti, we are seeing construction of secondary schools in both Arabia and lafey divisions of Mandera East as well as undertaking various other projects alongside.

The Murulles are also lucky to have benefitted from several USA, UK based NGO's and charities including The Civil Action projects, supported through the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), a U.S. led multi-nation group based in Djibouti, which has established a closer working relationships with local people of Arabia, Mandera East in order to end the threat of terrorism in the region.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Kenya William M. Bellamy on January 2004, presided the construction of the Arabia Secondary School in Mandera District of Kenya's Northeastern Province. He was hosted by the area M.P., the Hon. Shabaan Isaak.

The Arabia Secondary School project is by far the largest of many similar "Civil Action" projects in Kenya by the USA and we hope the new Microsoft Unlimited Potential (UP) programme would target sectors that concern the youth in our region..

Over the past year U.S. military and counterparts in the Kenyan Department of Defense Projects have worked together on projects at various locations in that area.U.S. soldiers and the Kenyan military cooperated over the past several months on that project to refurbish and expand facilities at the school, located some 70 kms . south of Mandera town.

The Arabia Secondary School now has a library, a new dining hall and kitchen, and an additional classroom building. As a result, the number of students attending the school increased from 160 to 240.

The U.S. committed a total of 7.3 million Kshs. to underwrite the project, using local contractors and supplies.

Some other projects being undertaken by the Government through CDF include the following which have so far got completed.Some are on-going pending review and more budgetary allocations next year.

PROJECT STATUS REPORT 2005-2006 through 2007

COMPLETED PROJECTS:

Bulla Power Promote education Education (150,000) Completed

Border Point 1 Promote education Education (150,000) Completed

Lafey Promote education Education (500,000) Completed

Gari Promote education Education (500,000) Completed

Sala Promote education Education (300,000) Completed

Bulla Barwaqo Promote education Education (350,000) Completed

Kamor Promote education Education (150,000) Completed

Border Point 1 Promote education Education (350,000) Completed

Hareri Hosle Improve health care Health (300,000) Completed

Hareri Improve health care Health (1,100,000) Completed

Fino Improve health care Health (500,000) Completed

Bulla Mpya Improved security of equipments Security (900,000) Completed

ON-GOING PROJECTS:

40/01 Construction of 3 dormitories 3,000,000.00

040/02 Purchase of furniture-mandera Secondary School 300,000.00

040/03 Hareri Hsle Dispensary 1,000,000.000

40/04 Arabia Dispensary 400,000.

40/05 Hareri Dispensary 420,000.000

40/06 Boarder point one – water canal 500,000.000

40/07 Mandera community Library 200,000.00

Arabia Improve health care services Health(3,000,000) ON-GOING

Khalalio Improve health care services Health (2,000,000) ON-GOING

Administration & Secretariat 180,000.00 "

All Promote education Education (2,000,000) On- going

Lafey Promote education Education (400,000) On- going

Border Point 1Improve food security and income Security (400,000) On- going

Sarohindi Provision of water Education (100,000) On- going

Shafahfey Improve health care Health (900,000) On- going

Warankara Improve health care Health (3,500,000) Ongoing

Neboi Improve health care services Health (900,000) On- going.

A total 31,725,756/= (Thirty One Million, seven hundred and twenty five thousand, seven hundred fifty six Ksh)....... has been used to assist the community move it's feet from under-development.

HOLY QURAAN DISTRIBUTION FROM DUBAI THROUGH DAR AL BIR SOCIETY-DUBAI, UAE

In the Name of God, most Gracious, most Merciful

Welcome,

Islam Awareness Kenya (IAKEN) has embarked on to distribute Holy Quran all over the Kenya.The Quran copies were given to Islam Awareness Kenya By the DAR AL BIR SOCIETY OF DUBAI , The United Arab Emirates.

DAR AL BIR SOCIETY gave close to 1000 Copies of Holy Quraan to be distributed to Mandera Kenya constituencies under the auspices of Islam Awareness Kenya, A kenyan run Islamic NGO that operates from Dubai.

The first batch has already been shipped to KENYA and soon we will start distribution in all rural areas of MANDERA EAST CONSITUENCY OF KENYA.

This scripture

(The Holy Quran) is infallible; a beacone for the righteous. We believe that the Quran is reveled to us and is a guidance from God. Those who read the Quran and say 'i bear witness that there is only one God and no other gods besides God' are the winners.

The Quranic verse Chapter 2 verse 261 says:

"The parable of those who spend their monies for the cause of God is like a seed that grows into seven ears, with one hundred seeds in each ear. God multiplies the reward manifold for whomever He wills. God is bounteous, omniscient." - Those who do for the cause of Allah are

The Winners:

"The believing men and women are allies of one another, they advocate righteousness, forbid evil and observe the salat prayers and give zakat charity and they obey God and his messenger. God will shower them with mercy, God is almighty wise." -

What was The great Promise:

"God promises those among you who believe and work righteousness that He will make them Kings on Earth as He did for those before them, and that He will establish for them there religion that He chooses for them and that He will substitute security in place of fears. All this because they worship Me alone, without ideolising anything besides Me, if anyone disbelieves after this then these are wicked."

The one with God is a majority.

Read God's message.

Happiness is submission to God.

We the constituents of Mandera East Constituency would like to thank DAR AL BIR SOCIETY OF DUBAI GOVERNMENT and what our brothers from UAE under the auspices of SHEIKH HAMDAN BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM are doing to maintain several project.

We pray for all those who were involved in the project Kheir...We say...."Jazakumullah Kheiran"

CDF MANDERA EAST 2002-2007

CONSTITUENCY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR MANDERA EAST-KENYA FOR THE PERIOD 2002-2007

1. Hon. Shaaban Ali Isaack Member of Parliament (Patron)
2. Mr. Fino District Officer (Member)
3. Cllr. Abdi Ullow Shillaw Councillor (Member)
4. Cllr. Muhumed Osman Arr Councillor (Member)
5. Mr. Mohumed Hassan Haji Religious Representative (Member)
6. Mr. Hussein Maalim Dahir Religious Representative (Member)
7. Mr. Noor Dibit N.G.Os Representative (Member)
8. Mr. Abdi Abdulahi Men Representative (Member)
9. Mr. Mohamed Malaak Madey Men Representative (Member)
10. Ms. Binta Hajji Gudow Women Representative (Member)
11. Ms. Nuria Hussein Mohamed Women Representative (Treasurer)
12. Mr. Adan Ali Youth Representative Secretary
13. DDO Committee Member
14. District Accountant Committee Member


ON-GOING PROJECTS

040/01 Construction of 3 dormitories 3,000,000.00
040/02 Purchase of furniture-mandera Secondary School 300,000.00
040/03 Hareri Hsle Dispensary 1,000,000.00
040/04 Arabia Dispensary 400,000.00
040/05 Hareri Dispensary 420,000.00
040/06 Boarder point one – water canal 500,000.00
040/07 Mandera community Library 200,000.00
Administration & Secretariat 180,000.00 "


So far, many of these are on-going and I think we should focus on priorities as the area MP is aware of the many difficulties his contituents are under-going....

PROJECT STATUS REPORT 2005-2006

COMPLETED PROJECTS are shown in RED

Arabia Improve health care services Health(3,000,000) ON-GOING
Khalalio Improve health care services Health (2,000,000) ON-GOING
Bulla Power Promote education Education (150,000) Completed
Border Point 1Improve food security and income Security (400,000) On- going
Border Point 1 Promote education Education (150,000) Completed
All Promote education Education (2,000,000) On- going
Lafey Promote education Education (400,000) On- going
Lafey Promote education Education (500,000) Completed
Gari Promote education Education (500,000) Completed
Sala Promote education Education (300,000) Completed
Sarohindi Provision of water Education (100,000) On- going
Bulla Barwaqo Promote education Education (350,000) Completed
Kamor Promote education Education (150,000) Completed
Border Point 1 Promote education Education (350,000) Completed
Shafahfey Improve health care Health (900,000) On- going
Hareri Hosle Improve health care Health (300,000) Completed
Hareri Improve health care Health (1,100,000) Completed
Warankara Improve health care Health (3,500,000) Ongoing
Fino Improve health care Health (500,000) Completed
Neboi Improve health care services Health (900,000) On- going
Bulla Mpya Improved security of equipments Security (900,000) Completed

TOTAL 31,725,756/= (Thirty One Million, seven hundred and twenty five thousand, seven hundred fifty six Ksh).......



We will keep you updated....

CHOLERA IN MANDERA...ISLAMIC RELIEF INTERNATIONAL........

CHOLERA IN MANDERA

Miriam Ahmed's face contorts in pain as her frail and bony fingers clutch her stomach.
A sweat breaks on her head as she writhes in pain on her bed. The 16-year-old girl is the latest patient to be admitted to Mandera District Hospital following an outbreak of cholera in the area.

Ahmed is lucky. Two people, a 57-year-old man and his three-year-old son, have died since the disease broke out on January 10.

At least 20 people have been admitted while one has been discharged from the hospital. Ahmed is among the five who are recuperating in the isolation ward.

At the entrance of the ward is a footbath that is chlorinated to prevent visitors from entering or leaving with the virus.

The District Medical Officer of Health, Dr Boniface Musila, says the situation is under control. The affected areas are Bulla Mpya, Bulla Jamhuriya and Bulla Power, which have several

Shallow wells.

Public eateries have been closed down to stop the spread of the waterborne disease. "We hopefully will lift the ban on public eating places by the end of next week," Musila said.

Two patients were brought in as Musila talked to the press.

Stool samples for the dead victims tested positive for Cholera at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri).

Cholera kills within 24 hours of infection. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhoea that causes severe dehydration and shock. The bacteria spread through contact with faeces and the disease is associated with heavy rains that flood latrines and contaminate water.

After the drought last year, Mandera was submerged in floods, which displaced 120,476 people.

An isolation ward that can accommodate up to 30 patients has been set up at the hospital. The Kenya Red Cross Society has given the hospital 1.5 tonnes of cholera kit.

But Mandera District Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Muktar Omar, said there was a shortage of nurses at the facility. "We have been forced to deploy those in rural areas to the district hospital," Omar says.

Mandera has 70 nurses, 40 at the district hospital and the rest in the dispensaries.
Omar said they need at least 120 nurses. "We are pleading with the Government to speed up deployment of more staff to the area," Omar says.

Rift Valley Fever outbreak is another problem the district has to deal with.

Omar says the Government has pledged to post a dentist and a medical officer but he says they need at least two more medical officers.

Red Cross and the Ministry of Health are conducting public education in the district. They have drawn samples from wells and other water points. The water has been treated to prevent further spread of the disease.

Musila said Ethiopian immigrants might have brought the disease into the country.
Relevant Links

"The borders are very porous and it is possible that someone came from Ethiopia with the disease and infected the Moyale residents," he said.

He said they have partnered with Action Aid and the Ministry of Water, whose task is to identify contaminated points and chlorinate them.

The Islamic Relief Organisation is providing water to the hospital

ELECTIONS:MANDERA EAST 2007

ELECTIONS2007-MANDERA EAST CONSTITUENCY

We are going to an election year, The 2007.

The political temperature in the country is high and It's almost a year to the election day in Kenya.This is to say that, come Dec 2007, we will know who is the choice of the people of Mandera East for the seat of the Kenyan Parliament.

There is alignment and re-alignment currently going on in Kenya, from the ODM-kenya to Narc kenya and so on..Politicians are aligning themselves to parties that will take them to parliament come the elections.Some politicians are allied to Narc Kenya while some are fronting ODM-kenya.

Many politicians or wanna-bees have opened campaign sites that promotes their ideologies, an example is that of the de-facto ODM-kenya leader, Raila Odinga who is consolidating grounds for his last presidential elections.

Others are several NARC and NARC-Kenya politicians.

Even our own, Mandera wanna-bees are not behind, including the youthful Ex-US marine
(from Minneapolis, MN) who wants to contest for the Mandera East Parliamentary seat, http://mohamed2007.com/

His name is Mohamed and I have been following up with his various campaign strategies from the time he posted his video on www.youtube.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX8Wlr7i_6s and his campaign articles in forums like hiiraan , where he specifically dedicated one article solely for campaign purposes, http://www.hiiraan.com/news2/2006/nov/hopes,_hurdles_for_ex-marine_vying_to_become_a_kenyan_lawmaker.aspx ,

Through this blog, we congratulate Mr.Mohamed for aspiring to run for the Mandera East Constituency elections come 2007 and we hope Inshallah everything will be ok.

He understands the situation back home,People are severely improvished.No schools, no Hospitals(Health centres), don't talk about electricity....and roads....and mind you, we are in the 21st century.

We need educated and professionals in all spheres of life to jumpstart some kind of development in our region, especially in education, social or economic sectors, atleast, so that our people start fending for themselves and moving into the future.

Through this blog, We appreciate his plans to return to our home and make it better for all of us.

We the people of Mandera East, will gallantly support him through his endevours..

Kudos ya Mohamed!!!!

ISLAMIC RELIEF INTERNATIONAL-UK EMERGENCY AND HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES IN MANDERA EAST, KENYA

ISLAMIC RELIEF-UK

Three years of failed rains led to severe drought across the Horn of Africa, creating food shortages for up to 15 million people. The pastoralists who live across northern Kenya, south-eastern Ethiopia and southern Somalia are the worst-affected people.

Islamic Relief (IR) is working to help the drought-stricken people of the Arabia, Libehiya, Hareeri, sala, Fino, Bambo, Gari and Lafey areas of Mandera region of Kenya, and in the Somali region of Ethiopia.

Rain

http://www.islamic-relief.com/submenu/Appeal/LibehiaPrimarySchool.asp

Despite the rains in May, clean drinking water remains scarce. The rains were patchy and not enough to last until the next ones are due. Although pasture for the animals has increased in places, it is still too scarce to benefit all of them.

The rains were a mixed blessing. Although they interrupted the dry period, over 20 people died in Mandera from an outbreak of dysentery. The rainwater has also flushed animal carcasses and sewage into water sources, contaminating them with lethal diseases.

Malnutrition

http://www.islamic-relief.com/submenu/Appeal/firdosa.asp
Malnutrition rates across the region remain high, especially amongst young children, the elderly and pregnant and nursing mothers. Cases of diarrhoea are on the increase, threatening the lives of already malnourished people.

Poverty

The drought-affected pastoralists are dependent upon their animals for their livelihoods. These animals are also their savings – they sell one whenever they need money. However, the drought has killed off thousands of livestock – up to 70% in some regions, leaving people almost destitute.

Surviving animals are half-starved and weak with little or no market value. Milk yields from the animals, a staple part of the daily diet, are also low, contributing to malnutrition.

The prices of staple foods in the markets remain high because of the continuing effects of drought. They are simply too expensive for most impoverished families to afford.

Without immediate intervention it is feared this crisis could escalate, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. Islamic Relief is working urgently alongside other humanitarian agencies to prevent this disaster.

Islamic Relief Response, Mandera District, Kenya

Food & Nutrition

http://www.islamic-relief.com/submenu/Appeal/abdulstory.htm
IR has distributed around 30 tonnes of nutritional ‘Unimix’ food so far.

7 Supplementary Feeding Centres established, helping over 5,000 children, the elderly and expectant/nursing mothers who receive weekly nutritional support to prevent severe malnutrition.

Food rations continue to be provided to 5,000 families. Each ration consists of cornmeal, beans, salt, sugar & cooking oil.

Food distributions have taken place in 23 locations in 7 divisions

Health

Health Screening of thousands of children under five to monitor and prevent malnutrition is continuing.

A transport service staffed by a nurse is transporting severely malnourished children and their families to the District Hospital.

A Community Health Education programme provides hygiene and sanitation education to mothers & their families to tackle an outbreak of dysentery and other water-borne diseases. To date, the team has reached over 350 families and plan to expand the service.

Water

14,000 litres of water provided every other day in 2 locations to approx. 4,000 people whose water sources have been contaminated.

Fino borehole has been rehabilitated providing clean and safe drinking water for about 10,000 people.

Rehabilitations at Lafey and Arabia water sources are underway, and three more are planned.

A local 15-member community committee is being trained to manage the site & educate others regarding sanitation and hygiene.

Food

Therapeutic Centres are planned for malnourished children & their families................

You can help by making an Online Donation or Contact/telephoning:

Islam Awareness Kenya: islamawarenesskenya@operamail.com
Young Muslim Association :Kenya: yma@wananchi.com
UK : + 44 121 622 0622
USA : +1 818 238 95 20
France : +33 149 171717
Germany : + 49 221 722 0799
Holland : + 31 206 160 022
Belgium : + 32 22 198 184
Switzerland : +41 227 320 273
Malaysia : + 60389486334
Sweden : + 4687303660
Mauritius : + 2302102348
South Africa : + 27118361054
Italy : + 39 34 703 41183
Worldwide: +44 121 622 0622

PICTURE OF ARABIA SECONDARY SCHOOL-KENYA, A joint USA project in the Horn of Africa

US Press statement on Arabia Project In Mandera Region of North Eastern Province, Kenya on the Inaguration of Arabia Secondary school, Kenya.



Mr.Bellamy, The then US Ambassador to Kenya and Mr.Shaaban Ali, MP for the Mandera East, Assistant Minister, Local Government in the Republic of Kenya at Arabia Secondary School, Mandera District.

U.S. EmbassyPublic Affairs Section United Nations AvenueP.O. Box 606 Village Market00621 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: 254-20-3636439Fax: 254-20-3636353Press Release



& The drought situation in Mandera Libehiya and Arabia zones as covered by Islamic Relief International of The United Kingdom, in january this year...

Google Maps for Mandera East, Arabia, Fino, Lafey, Libihiya, Sala, Bambo and Garri Locations

This is just a section of Mandera East that we retrieved by Satelitte photos taken this week.

We are trying to evaluate the areas mineral deposit pretty soon.

THE MURULE ONLINE: CONTEMPORARIES, PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT OF MURULE SOMALIS IN KENYA

Murule " Weytan" as we call ourselves, are a Somali Sub-clan that "resides" in the upper tip of Mandera District, of North Eastern Kenya.

Many people are aware that Murulles come from Jidle, as Murule Weitan Jidle, but few know that Murulles are brothers of Baadicade and Jejele, somali clans staying in and around Hiiraan region of Somalia, in Ethiopia and Kenya and are classified as "The Gugundhabe", A section of Hawiye, The biggest Somali tribe.



Murulles were represented in The Kenyan Parliament through the Mandera East Contituency Seat by Honourable Shaaban Ali Issack, The Former Assistant Minister of Local Government, Incharge of Urban authorities, in the Republic of Kenya.

Mandera is a town in North Eastern Province, Kenya. It is capital of the Mandera District. The town is located at around 3°55′34″N, 41°50′46″E, near the borders with Ethiopia and Somalia. It has a population of 30,433 (1999 census) [1]. Local people are mostly of Somali tribes, some of them refugees from war-torn Somalia. Majority of the local people are from Murule and Garre tribes.Smaller proportion represent the Degodia tribe.

Murulle are normally a peaceful group of people unlike their cousins in Somalia and from time to time, their region is prone to clash between other clans who "pretend" to own or dominate Mandera.Many atimes, The murulles are "invited" for clashes pitting them and some Borana speaking clans from southern Ethiopia by the name Garres.The most nearest clash the Murules were entangled with the Garres left at least 100 lives since it erupted in December 2004/Jan 2005(carried by all world news including Aljazeera and the BBC)

Murulles are skillful people in business and many businessmen from the Somali community in Kenya and outside Kenya, are composed of various activities in the business sector including Real Estates, Money Transfer and retail shops.

The peaceful Murules are "perceived" as fearful people and normally other clans reciprocate that to mean they can grab Murules land.., rape their women and terrorize their livestock.

A number of concepts have been advanced to explain the cause and genesis of clan conflict in Mandera east and it's sorrounding areas of Mandera central.

In a political blunder, aggravated by the Garre community constant harrasment of the Murules from the State House of Kenya, The then President Daniel Arap Moi, In 1988, curved Mandera Central from the larger Mandera East after the Murules succesfully managed to control the Garres from enchrocing to their land, in the famous, Colka Maqan, (the suspense War), of 1982/1983.

Mandera Central constituency was curved 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 simmering tensions between the two clans over political representation.With Mandera Central constituency formed, 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 led 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 Alango location which belongs to the Murules, but Garres claim it falls under Mandera Central 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 clans are accusing the Garres of harbouring and supporting foreign militia in their locations. Watering Garre livestock at Alango Dam has been a nightmare ever since for fear of Murules and 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 manouvered" 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 Somali.The Murule have 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.

On the other hand, the Garre clan in Mandera district has forged an alliance with their Garre kinsmen in Ethiopia, an alliance also backed by the Bonn and Ororsame of the Marehaan, who are fond of raping women, who are at loggerheads with the Main marexaan clan of Eldere, who are inter-married with Murulles.

It is also rumored that these alliances are being forged ahead of the 2007 general elections as each group intends to mobilize enough voters to sustain their political representation and or supremacy.



Mandera East is mostly a Murule land and Murules are targeting to spearhead verocious campaign to atleast capture another seat in collaboration with other "minority" clans in the area like the degodias and Sheekhaal.

Most votes of the previous general election of 2002, was dominated by current MP of the Mandera East, himself a Murule.Hon. Shaaban Ali Isaack, the current Member of Kenyan Parliament and also a government Minister incharge of urban authorities(Councils).see [2].The Minister had the highest votes in the last election of 2002, from the whole North Eastern Region of Kenya, where somalis live.

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 "thinks" it own some track of land between southern Ethiopia and part ofnorthern kenya and wants to create some kind of domination along these areas.That is why, they have atleast fought with every clan that resides in the area.They fought wars with the Ajuuran, the Degodias and even the Marexaan from Somalia.The Murulles are the only people who did actually contained Garre Expansion in the region.

Alhamdulillah, The Murulle community who happen to own substantial number of livestock including camels and are peaceful in their grazing area will not "condone" any criminal activities in their region.

The colonial boundaries of the Murule land must be respected and with our huge camel herds, we will NEVER accept to be denied access to pasture even on the western flank of the district, which is mainly inhabited by the Garre, coutesy of the colonial boundary structure.

The Murulles are also lucky to have benefitted from several USA, UK based NGO's and charities including The Civil Action projects, supported through the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), a U.S. led multi-nation group based in Djibouti, which has established a closer working relationships with local people of Arabia, Mandera East in order to end the threat of terrorism in the region.

The then U.S. Ambassador to Kenya William M. Bellamy on January 2004, presided the construction of the Arabia Secondary School in Mandera District of Kenya's Northeastern Province. He was hosted by the area M.P., the Hon. Shabaan Isaak.

The Arabia Secondary School project is by far the largest of many similar "Civil Action" projects in Kenya by the USA and we hope the new Microsoft Unlimited Potential (UP) programme would target sectors that concern the youth in our region..

Over the past year U.S. military and counterparts in the Kenyan Department of Defense Projects have worked together on projects at various locations in that area.U.S. soldiers and the Kenyan military cooperated over the past several months on that project to refurbish and expand facilities at the school, located some 70 kms . south of Mandera town.

The Arabia Secondary School now has a library, a new dining hall and kitchen, and an additional classroom building. As a result, the number of students attending the school increased from 160 to 240.

The U.S. committed a total of 7.3 million Kshs. to underwrite the project, using local contractors and supplies.

Notable among personalities from Murules include, Honourable Shaaban Ali Issack,  Former MP for Mandera East and Lafey Constituencies, The late MP Hon. Abdillahi Abajan, of PICK party of Kenya, Mr. Abdullahi Abdinoor Gessey, of IPAK kenya, a local NGO, The former Kenya National Library Services Chairman, Now Lafey MP, Hon. Abdi Mude and several other reputable bankers,lawyers and corporate individuals.