NON LOCAL TEACHERS TREATED AS KINGS IN N.E.P

 

BY ADOW JUBAT

Knut officials from Northeastern region have accused their national secretary Wilson Sossion of inciting teachers not to work in North-Eastern region by standing with members absconding duty for the third week in a row.

Speaking to the Frontier Leaks, National Executive Council for Knut Northeastern region Ali Abdi Hussein said security has been restored in the region a fact that has made all other civil servants previously working in the region including Mandera County going back to offer their services.

Hussein called on TSC to sack all teachers who refuses to resume duties at their respective schools by next week and immediately recruit locals, who has good grades as untrained teachers noting that bowing to the teachers' pressure will open a Pandora box where other civil servants will follow the suit.

"We want TSC not to bow to pressure of its employees who want to move themselves to work in areas of their choice by force. These teachers were employed on our quota share of the teachers during employment and they shouldn't dream of moving with slots. They should either come back where they got employed or sacked immediately" He said.

"These teachers should know we have sufficient idle youth with good grades to replace them on UT basis as they get in service training. Our children can't be held hostage any longer" Knut NEC official said.

He said, contrarily to the lies, the said teachers were spreading in the media, the local teachers working in Northeastern were given preferential treatment such as house rents, free breakfast, lunch and dinner at the schools, and transports to and from their homes during the schools, an extra financial burden he noted the local people were generously offering the non residents teachers in bid to make their stay comfortable.

And on his part the Mandera Knut secretary general Mohamed Kullow Sheikh said some utterance and claims made by the teachers as an excuse of not going back to work in Counties in Northeastern, which started as security concerns has now took a nasty twist of wrongfully condemning communities in the region of un-existing accusation.

"As teachers union officials from the region, we have been maintaining our silence on some scaring remarks been repeatedly made by our national officials for quite some time, but we can no longer remain mum, when the protest which started over genuine security concerns ethnicity and religion dimension" the furious Sheikh said.

The officials accused Sossion of showing disrespect to his officials from the region by siding with the wild claims made by some teachers who have other motives blindly without first coming to the ground and investigate some of their allegation adding that the residents of the area including Knut officials are finding hilarious and insult what they are said about to the media by these truant teachers.

Sheikh said, some of the teachers now protesting at the TSC headquarters has been a thorn on the flesh of the local education offices requesting for transfers immediate they secured employment in Mandera County.

"Some of these protesting teachers have come to our county looking for jobs and shortly we offered them what they needed, they started to ask for transfer back to their home. Anybody can check files of some of the loudest protestors; they have been demanding for transfer more than 10 times, in a year. It is unacceptable for people to think they can come to our County when they need a job and want to go immediately they get one" He said.

On matter of non locals and non Muslim been charge higher rents by the local tenants, the Knut boss dismissed the allegation as pure lies adding that those making the claims should proof their allegations noting that as the locals union officials, they have been helping teachers get houses.

"Rents are always different depending on where a tenant choices to leave. House Rents in Mandera, just like in any other parts of the world is usually influenced by many facts such as the size, the proximity to the town and the type of the houses. You can't choice to live in a Bungalow in Mandera CBD and expect to be Ksh 500, just like you can't pay same rent for a house in Runda and Eastland in Nairobi", He explained.

The Mandera County Knut secretary said that they now got concerned over the hidden agenda of the teachers protested which started with security concerns been turned into a religion protest noting that majority of those introducing a religion angel in the issue, are teachers from Christian Teachers colleges.

TEACHERS' REFUSING TO RESUME JOB IN N.E.P TERRORIST SYMPATHIZERS, SAYS MANDERA WARD REP

 

BY ADOW JUBAT

Leaders from North-Eastern region has angrily responded to the ongoing demonstration on the streets of Nairobi by section of teachers’ purportedly from the region refusing to resume duty in the area over insecurity claim.

The leaders termed the action of the group of the teachers’ as an act of aggression against a section of Kenya’s minority community and move that is playing to the interests of the criminals known to have worked on instilling fear among Kenyans through act of terrorism.

Speaking to your Authoritative Frontier Leaks in Mandera town, the leaders urge the government to investigation the hidden motive of the protestors noting that their action and remarks displayed more than what meet the public eyes.

Led by the deputy minority leader Mohamed Omar, the leaders said the claims by the teachers, that they want an urgent transfer from the tail-end region fear of their lives over al-Shabaab menace is an insincere move considering that more than 500 of their colleagues who were already in different parts of Mandera County going about their duty safely.

“When a teacher says they are ready to working in Kapendo and Lamu, where more serious insecurity incidents including killings of over 20 security officers and 70 civilians respectfully occurred in the past and not any part of the entire Northern region, that tells us that the teachers had a hidden agenda and the government security machineries needs to investigate what are their agenda”, the visibly foaming leader said.

He added “As the residents of Northeastern region we are highly suspicious over the conducts of those protesting teachers, they either want to secure  transfer using insecurity issue as a scapegoat or they are sympathizers to the bloodhounds causing insecurity in the country”,

The MCA said it is regrettable that, hundreds of people suffering under pangs of unemployment come to Northern region, while desperate looking for a job, only to create excuses in a bid to move out of the region to their home Counties shortly after securing the job.

Omar who is also the Marothiley ward rep said claiming that there is no single area an entire region, is free of insecurity is not acceptable adding that, in the case of Mandera County problem of insecurity is limited to areas closer to the Somali border.

“If the teachers were sorting for transfer from areas prone to attacks by Somali based militia such as Mandera town to other parts within the County or other parts within the region, their protest would have been understandable, but when the teachers’ calls for nothing short of not working in an integral part of this country and been supported by a senior officials of their union (Knut) that amount to an act of aggression against our people”, He explained.

The ward rep said that there are over 5000 non locals going about their different work in every corner of Mandera County adding that in his ward seven teachers teaching in the local secondary schools has reported for work on the first week of the new term.

“Kenyans and investors willing to visit Mandera, Garissa, Wajir and other Counties in Northern region, shouldn’t be discouraged by the “enemies” and “merchants” of marginalization of the region and should come to work or invested in the area without fear of insecurity”, he assured.

JANJU VILLAGE RECEIVES SWISS AMBASSADOR

BY ADOW JUBAT

                  The Swiss Ambassador to Kenya Jacque Pitteloud handing over Janju water project to Gsa deputy Governor Abdullahi Hussein.

International community has been accused of abandoning the burden of refugee to the Kenya government for the last twenty years.

Speaking at Janju village in Modogashe sub-county, Garissa county North-Eastern region on Monday, the Swiss ambassador to Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Somalia Jacques pitteloud said the international community needs to do more in supporting the Kenya government to withstand the burden of hosting over 600,000 refugees. 

The ambassador who was handing over of water projects supported by the Switzerland Government to the local County administration, said East Africa country took more than its share of international obligations to cater for refugees from Somalia and other parts of Africa and it is unfortunately not recognized for good works as it should have been.

Pitteloud said Kenya government has been generously hosting refugees from Horn of Africa has been bearing unbearable difficulties in accommodating in northeastern region people fleeing from their home countries ravaged by conflicts.

He “Kenya has suffered greatly by keeping refugees for the last two decades. The country's security, environment and economical well being has been disrupted by the presence of people looking for ravaged, but unfortunately, the international communicate is not reciprocating the country’s generosity as required”,

"International community needs to appreciate the Kenya's government selfless efforts in hosting hundreds of thousands of Somali and other refugees from the Horn of Africa ravaged by communal and political strikes to lessen the burden" He said.

The Swiss ambassador said his country which has been touched by the Kenya’s extraordinary efforts in safeguarding the wellbeing of the victims of droughts and conflicts fleeing from Somalia has initiated several development projects targeting both the host and the refugee communities in Northeastern region.

“My government appreciates the crucial role played by the Kenya government in taking care of those families running from their home countries seeking for refuge. Following 2011 following the deadliest drought that hit parts of Southern Somalia and Northeastern region, we have embarked on numerous development projects to alleviate the water needs of drought stricken families and their livestock”, He said.

Pitteloud said his government spent more than 2.4 million dollars in the construction of water projects mainly in the drought prone Kenya’s Northeastern region noting that about 17 such projects has been undertaken since 2011 in the region.

While taking over the projects handed over to the county government from the Swiss government, the Garissa County deputy governor Abdullahi Hussein thanked the Switzerland government for their support adding that they need more assistance from development partners.

“As County administration we appreciate the efforts by the Swiss government for support us in alleviating the water needs of our people and we plead other donor partners to borrow leave and chip in” he said.

IJARA BECOMES THE FIRST CONSTITUENCY TO DISBURSE UWEZO FUND

BY ADOW JUBAT

An ODM member of parliament has on Saturday urge the main opposition coalition party Cord, to form one formidable part ahead of 2017 general election, if the party wants to remain relevant and achieve its quest to ascend into the country's leadership.

Speaking at Masalani town during the disbursement of 12.4 millions shilling of the Uwezo fund to 145 youth groups in his Ijara constituency, the area MP Ahmed Ibrahim Abass said, said the recent political realignment in the country, where the ruling Jubilee coalition parties has merged to establish Jubilee Alliance should inform the Cord's preparations for the forthcoming national polls.

"As a senior member of the opposition coalition party, I urge our three principals to dissolve their respective parties and form one strong party that will square out with the Jubilee alliance in 2017 general election", he said.

He added" If our three principals (Raila, Wetangula and Kalonzo) in the cord family are not willing to merge into one strong opposition party to battle it out favorably with the reorganized Jubilee alliance, some of us may consider to walk out of the coalition. We can't be part of lose party that is likely to face another defeat in next general election",

The Ijara legislator noted that, if the Cord coalition were to establish one united party, the opposition party will be confidence in forming the next government noting that preparations toward that goal must be started early enough to avoid last minute rush like the one experienced in 2013.

The youthful MP said, Cord is the most popular party with strong countrywide representation, however, it has been weaken by competing interests by the parties forming the coalition adding that ones the coalition partners merge into one strong party, the party's march to the state house will be a walk in the park.



Abass who was disbursing cheques to youth groups who got Uwezo money urge the youth groups from his constituency, who benefited from the first trench of the fund to invest the money they got wisely and refrain from misuse of the same adding that, groups which fail to return the money on the stipulated time frame will be prosecuted and blacklisted.

"We want the youth group, which applied for this money and have today received the money to invest it in a viable business ventures not to misuse the money. We want the money to change your lives for the better", He said.

The lawmaker advised the youth to avoid idling in the villages/towns or chasing for the limited white collar jobs and instead take advantage of the devolved funds availed to them by the national government and learn to be self reliance.

The Ijara constituency Uwezo fund chairman Amir Shaffat Dualle said that majority of the 145 groups that got the money were give shilling 100,000, while few of the remaining got shilling 50,000 noting that the payment of the said amounts to the groups were informed by the past and present financial handling and business acumen of the same.

"There were slightly over 200 youth groups which applied for funding under, but we picked the groups which have business presence in the constituency and are not involved in any history of misuse of public funds. Some groups who applied were locked out since they have defaulted on previous funding from the government such as youth and women fund", He explained.

Dualle said the beneficiaries groups will enjoy 6 months grace period before which they will start making repayment of the grant adding that those who got shilling 100,00 will be required to pay 4167 monthly until the recoup the amount, while those who got shilling 50,000 will be paying 2084 monthly.

He cautioned that those who default to pay their monthly repayment on three months after lapse of the six months grace period they will be imposed an extra 5% penalty of the amount received.

MOTHER KILLED, TWO CHILDREN AND A HUSBAND BADLY BURNT IN KEROSINE FIRE TRAGEDY IN MASALANI

BY ADOW JUBAT

A somber mood has engulfed a small village in Hara location of Masalani division, Garissa County, following a fire tragic that killed a mother of three and critically wounded 3 others members of the same family.

Mrs. Khadija Yussuf, 35, was pronounced dead on her away to Garissa referral hospital, after 7.30 fire incident on Wednesday night, which has also fatally wounded two of her children and her husband.

Confirming the tragic incidents, to the Frontier Leaks Ijara Sub-County administrator Mohamed Ahmed Dahir said the fire started after lantern the woman was lighting up exploded into a disastrous flame.

"The deceased struck a match stick to lighting up a kerosene lamp in front of her grass thatched Somali traditional house (Herio), soon she struck the match stick it caused leaping fire. We suspect what she was using as kerosene must have been inflammable liquid such as petrol and not paraffin", he said.

"When she tried to light up the kerosene lamp which we suspect she used to refuel with other inflammable like petrol instead of paraffin, exploded into flames which caught her clothes leading into her burning to death," he added.

He said, the children who were shocked after seeing their mother crying loudly out for help to the neigbours, while burning into balls of flames rushed to rescue her with their bare hands clutching on her burning clothes attracting the fire to spread to them.

He said" The children who fall victim to the fire were between the age of four and six and they were at the time clinging to their mother in a bid to safe her from the fire using their naked hands unaware of the danger they were posing to themselves",

He said fourth victim, the husband to the deceased and a father to the children who was seated some few meters from where the deceased (his wife) fell victim to the fire accident, in desperation rushed with the contain carrying the remains of the liquid that caused the fire and doused onto the burning family member, thinking that it was water that should help to extinguish the raging fire.

The administrator noted that Mohamed Abdullahi Olow, the husband to the deceased and the children caught in the fire sustaining severe burns as he was attempting to rescue his family members from the tragic fire," he said.

The Ijara sub-County administrator said as the local leaders they rushed to the village which is about 17KM from Masalani town, where they assisted in transporting the victims to Masalani sub-county hospital, they were later referred to Garissa and again to Nairobi.

The Sub-County administrator said the seriously burnt two children and their father were all referred to Garissa referral hospital in critical, where they attended briefly before gain refereed to Nairobi for specialized treatment since their fire wounds were very serious.

He said one month infant who was at the time sleeping inside the traditional hut survived the tragic incident noting that the County government will support the family with medical and burial bills.

He cautions locals to take precautionary measures when dealing with fire and inflammable noting that mix up where families use petrol as paraffin is the main causes of fire tragedy.

"I would like to appeal to our people to take extra caution when dealing with fire so that we avoid terrible incidents like this, let keep our children away from fire place or when lighting up kerosene lamp," he said.
In another incident in Mandera County over thirty families were rendered homeless, following a fire incident in Arabia town of Lafey Sub-County in Mandera County on Tuesday.

The fire that was caused by a strong wind spread to makeshift business premises in Arabia Township has reported to have destroyed property worth 3 million according to the area member of the County assembly Abdullahi Abdirahman.

DUALLE IS RIGHT TO DISOWN MERCENARIES VOTES

EDITORIAL

During March 2013 general election thousands of Garissa residents, were conned by power thirsty parliamentary candidates from their respective clan backyard, who were unsure of a win in their respective constituencies outside Garissa Township to register and caste their precious voters outside, where they had a permanent residents.

Majority of these voters who knew well they will ultimately come back to Garissa town to stay for the next five and more years, after the one day poll exercise, were made to believe they were traveling out of their home towns of Garissa for a worthy course of defending their clans, from a perceived threats from rival clans' candidates.

These votes migrants shouted themselves horse, precariously hanged on dangerously driven vehicle, burnt bridges with a candidate who was sure to win the Garissa Township parliamentary seat then, as well as 20017 (Insha'Allah).

They allowed themselves to be carried like goats headed for auction market on the rooftops of hired buses, lorries and other deplorable transport means to Ijara, Dadaab, Lagdera, Fafi and Balambala to register and cast their voters. 

They left Garissa virtually a ghost town as they shifted out in large number to vote in other constituencies where they had no interests other than to serve the temporarily interests of a cunning politicians. 

Many slept under tree or in open ground like refugees with their children for days praising those abusing them, they were left hungry in areas where they have gone purportedly to safeguard their clan "interests".

Today their misery is even bigger- they are political orphans who are not welcomed in their own home town (Garissa) neither are they known in areas where they cast their votes.

They are denied CDF in Garissa because they have surrendered their electrol residence at the time of the election, while at the same time, they are not recognized as residents in the constituencies, where they have gone to exercise their democratic rights of voting.

By registering and voting in other constituencies outside Garissa Township purportedly to help their clan candidates ascend into power, these voters’ mercenaries, have declared themselves persona non Grata in Garissa Township politically speaking.

This isn’t to say that the voters’ migrants have lost their rights to be Garissa residents, but for sure they have unfortunately surrendered their rights in accessing benefit from the Garissa Township. 

Those who remained back, whether they voted Hon. Dualle or not they have all the legitimate rights to demand their fair share of being represented fairly by the majority leaders and get all the constituency resources. 

In fact, they don’t have to beg for that. Its every voter’s constitutional right to vote whoever candidate he/she wants in an election.

As Hon. Aden Dualle has rightfully put it, those who went to vote in Balambala, Lagdera or Ijara should never bother with him with their application forms for CDF scholarships instead they should send their bursary applications to their respective constituencies where they voted.

It doesn't matter whether their preferred candidate win or loss. There lies there rights to CDF.

In nutshell, they shouldn’t expect to reap where they never planted politically speaking.

For the victims, who were being duped of their electrol rights by unscrupulous politician only concerned with their interests into getting to the August House, this should be unforgettable lesson well learnt. 

People should know that, politic is a five years investment business and in any business you must invested wisely and where you live.

You can’t invest a “shop” in Ijara or Dadaab and expected to ripe its profit will seated your legs crossed in Garissa.

No voter, should accept to be cheated once more by political scavangers to take their votes outside their home towns, by doing so is denying themselves and children rights to CDF and privileges that are surely shared at the constituency level.