TERROR ATTACKS DISRUPTED SERVICE IN MANDERA, SAYS ROBA

Pic. Mandera Governor Ali Roba (right)

BY ADOW JUBAT

20 health facilities in Mandera has ceased operation following the resignation and desertion of job by over 53 medical officers, following the recent attackers that has led to the macabre killings of 64 people by al-Shabaab.

Speaking during Jamhuri day celebration in Mandera stadium on Friday, the area County governor Ali Ibrahim Roba said several schools were also likely staring imminent closure when schools to re-open next year as more than 150 teachers were sorting for transfers to other counties in the country over their safety concerns, despite assurance of their protection from any harm by the County and national government.

Roba said the terrorists were deliberately targeting personnels working in the essential sectors which acts as the key drivers of the County’s economy, so to sabotage the huge progress made by his administration in the last two years. 

“The terrorists have killed teachers and medical officers in a targeted way by using the religion as an excuse for executing innocent lives. However, their bigger agenda is to cripple the education, health and other essential sectors of our County which they know hugely depends on external workforce from the other counties and by doing so they have managed to scare the our teachers and health workers disrupting important services to our people ” he said.

He said the attack of Koromey quarry site which has resulted to the brutal death of 36  stone workers has stalled the ongoing construction of the first tarmac road in Mandera County noting that other projects including the construction of County headquarters offices expected to be completed early next year were also affected. 

He said “The construction of the heavy capital projects such as Moi stadium, the county hotel, the county headquarters and the county assembly have all been stopped because most of the workers were non-locals who fled after the two gruesome killing of 64 quarry miners. This translates to total sanctions of life in Mandera and we must say enough is enough”, 

Governor Roba said all the attacks of the Islamist group and their local sympathizers intentionally targeted vital installations which included security camps, the power station, the county government offices and the revenue collection toll stations in a bid to cripple the County operations so as to make the residents more vulnerable to radicalizations. 

He said in the last one and a half years alone, the terrorists raided Mandera police station twice, while attacking the local administration police post three times with all the five attacks resulted in fatalities of security officers gallantly sacrificing to make their country safe.

“We had helplessly tolerated the killings of local people in Mandera over the years .We have lived with this hard harsh reality. But we will not accept the killings of our brothers and sisters from other counties. That is why it is not going to be business as usual in Mandera” The County boss. 

He said in a bid to make movement of passengers plying along the attack prone Arabia-Mandera road safe the government have put security measures in place to make the road passable at all times.

Roba said despite terrorists attacks carried out in Mandera County was the work of the dread al-Shabaab, there was a clear indication that the assailants enjoy undivided support of sympathizers who are operating from a vibrant terror cells within Mandera town.

“We must refuse to believe that these recent attacks could only have been done by our traditional perceived and usual suspects who are the al-Shabaab. There is no enemy from without that will succeed without the help of local people from Mandera” He explained.

He added “We have refused to accept that our children and families have been greatly affected by radicalization. Now we are threatened very seriously by the terrorists and we cannot afford to be in that state of denial anymore. We must accept firmly that radicalization is here with us and is gradually taking over our societies in this country” He noted.

The County chief reminded the people of Mandera have a responsibility to re-assure the non-locals were protected from possible threats from terrorists bent on harming them and give them moral support as they serve their needs diligently.

He commended the local communities for observing peaceful coexistence over the last three months and pleaded with them to continue with the same spirit in the foreseeable future.