WE ARE BACK IN THE STREETS IF OLE NKOYO IS NOT MOVED BY TUESDAY, SAYS MANDERA RESIDENTS

BY ADOW JUBAT- Editor Frontier Leaks/media consultant

Residents of the border County of Mandera vowed to return to the streets on Wednesday for indefinite peaceful protests, if the area County commissioner Alex Ole Nkoyo is not transferred by the midnight on Tuesday.

                        Mandera residents says Punda Amechoka over insecurity


Speaking in Mandera town, the resident has threatened swap into to the streets in a huge number which has ever witnessed in the past such protest in the country starting on Wednesday morning adding that they will only back off from the streets on the condition that they see the back of the County Commissioner heading for transfer.

Led by the outspoken and peoples’ township MCA Faizal Abdinur Issack, the residents said the any further stay of County commissioner will only add into the prevailing insecurity in the County since residents have lost confidence in him and will no longer willing to volunteer any crucial information to the security agents.

"We are demanding for the immediate transfer of Ole Nkoyo not because we hate him, but his he failed to curb insecurity in the County and he has further made his work of fighting insecurity in the area more difficult by differing with leaders elected by the majority and the only option for the government is to address honestly the insecurity in Mandera County is transfer him out of Mandera to serve where his service is needed in this Country", Said

The MCA said that a week-long ultimatum offered by the interior cabinet secretary which resulted in the calling off the protest against the stay of the county commissioner has lapsed on the weekend without the removal of the commissioner and people are now ready to demand for their right to have sufficient security by returning to streets to press on for his removal.

The Township MCA also accused the County of feeding wrong intelligent reports to his bosses in Nairobi concerning the prevailing terror related insecurity in Mandera by blaming on the locals and the local leadership for been sympathizers and financiers of al-Shabaab activities noting as leaders they demand the commissioner to provide tangible evident to the same and take action against those whom he knows are involved in insecurity matters in the county.

"The County leadership despite security been a national government function has availed hundreds of millions to support the security agents by providing ten vehicles, constructing over 96 house units for the security personnels in border point 1 and Kamor areas with more than similar number housing units tendered to undertake in the next few week in three other insecurity prone areas", He noted.

He added "The County government has also spent millions of the County's fund in installing of floodlights in attack prone areas in Mandera town, where criminals took a hide when committing felony, supports the Kenya police reservists with monthly stipends to motivate them and even provide fuel to security patrol vehicles in the town, if this is not enough commitment from the County leadership in supporting security machineries, then the County commissioner should tell us what else he expect from us",

Issack accused the beleaguered County commissioner of resorting into inter-clan politics by mobilize some individuals with a political difference with the County leadership to call for his stay in the County contrarily to the popular wishes of the residents demanding for his transfer so as to make the protests against him look like a one community issue.

"The commissioner has been holding series of meetings with some people he knows has lost in past election at his office and residence asking for their support and we wonder why he is so desperate to remain in Mandera. That should tell everybody that he is the biggest beneficiary of the insecurity in the County", He asserted.

However, Ole Nkoyo maintained that he is been fought because he refused to compromise on issue of insecurity and remained hard on those suspected to be perpetuating the vice notwithstanding their position in the society, a stand he claims has made him unpopular with majority of the local leadership.

MANDERA RESIDENTS PROTESTS OVER RUNAWAY INSECURITY

BY ADOW JUBAT- In Bulla-Mpya

                                Parts of Demo crowd and security keep at vigil at County Commissioner office

Thousands of residents in the insecurity prone Mandera County has took to the dusty streets of the border town on Friday morning protesting over the runaway killings and hurling of deadly explosives at shops by suspected Somali based vengeful al-Shabaab militia.

The residents led by local political, religious and community leaders converged at Al-hajji forest stadium before proceeding to the County commissioner’s office chanting slogans denouncing the County security bosses of sleeping on their jobs, while people were been slain like chicken found on a Christmas festivity in Khewisero -Western Kenya.

The protestors waving placards expressing emotions of their frustrations with the runaway insecurity in the County, that has claimed more than 6 lives including security officers and left dozen others agonizing on various hospital beds in less than a week demanded for the immediate transfer of the local County commissioner Alex Ole Nkoyo.

“We can’t keep on dodging from flying lethal explosives. We can’t allow to be killed like lies found on bride hair on her bridal night. We must get protection from bloodthirsty criminals by carrying out an overhaul in our County security managers”, One woman who claimed to have suffered in one of the previous insecurity incident, shouted hysterically.

Last week the area Governor Ali Roba survived on nail edge, after one of cars on his security conveys, moving an arm stretch behind his personal limousine was ripped off into bits of burnt and twisted metal scrubs, by the impact of an explosive thrown at him by suspected Al-Qaeda inspired Somalia militia.

The towering former pilot turn politician has remained a marked man in his County since he was elected into gubernatorial seat by highly sophisticated gun men believed to be al-Shabaab adherents freely operating within Mandera and the neigbouring war-weary Somalia terrorist sleeper-cells. 

Governor Roba, who survived the fifth attempts on his life in a less than a year last week while on a development tour to Wargadud, has expressed his discomforts working with his County’s top security brass on the basis that, they were taking casually the unbecoming threats to his personal life.

The ever smiling County chief despite the scaring and repeated threats on his life remained committed to serve his marginalized residents of Mandera, a County “cursed” with trivial inter suspicious, political backstabbing, insecurity and rumor mongering.

The protestors demanded for the immediate transfer of Ole Nkoyo, whom they accused of failing to stop the surging insecurity in the County and dilly-dallying on working with the County’s electorates’ choice – Ali Roba and others.

By the time of going to the press the protest match was going on peaceful with heavy security personnels armed to the teeth with their usually necking breaking truncheons and tears inducing tear gas canisters keeping tow.

More to come in our subsequent billeting

IF YOU ARE NO 3 IN THE NATIONAL COMMAND STRUCTURE, USE YOUR POSITION TO HELP US DEV'P GSA, DUALLE TOLD

 
 BY ADOW JUBAT

           Governor Jama addressing newly instituted council of Elders

 Garissa county governor Nathif Jama has on Thursday extended an olive branch to six MPs from the County to join with him hands in ensuring that the political leadership delivers to need of the electorates.

The County chief said unless the both the County and national political leadership working together away from political sideshows the people in the marginalized North-Eastern region will not benefit from the devolution as envisioned.

Speaking at Garissa after launching a 25 members County council of elders forum Governor Jama said it’s unhealthy for elected leaders to engaging in talking of perceived faults of others leaders instead of helping to compliment the progress made by others.

“As a County leadership we are trying to do our best to utilize the available County’s funds to ensure the problems of our people such as absence of water and health care are addressed adequately in the next 3 years. And it’s only prudent for those who has a better ideas on how we should implement development programs to share their input with us soberly”, He noted.

Jama said that the County leadership needs support from the national leaders (MPs) through their positions at the national level instead of undermining the work of the County.

“We want the leader of majority in National assembly Aden Duale who claims to be number 3 in the national commands structure to use his position with that of his colleagues, from the County to bring major national development projects to the County instead of talking ill about the performance of ours”, He added.

 

He asked his critics to give him a break so that he delivers on his mandate and dared them to try and unseat him in the forth coming polls. He added that no amount of cheap politicking would make him deviate from his development agenda which he termed as ‘robust’ and ‘had borne fruits all over the county’.

                      Nathif taking pose with council of Elders

 On Saturday, five MPs, Elias Bare Shill (Fafi), Aden Duale (Garissa Township), Abdikadir Omar (Balambala), Ahmed Abass (Ijara) and Abdi Noor(nominated) demanded the governor explains how his administration had spent the finances meant for development purposes since there was little to show in terms of projects.

“Mps should be aware that they are not the ethics authority in this county. They should understand that there are institutional bodies that deal with accountability and so far Garissa has not been mentioned in any financial misappropriation report,” Nathif said.

He added: “Those who should be investigated are the MPs and their CDF kitties whose payments are made in dubious ways like cheques compared to our payment services where we have embraced CBK monitored electronic financial payment services like IFMIS and Gpay.

 The Council of Elders member, who are drawn from all communities living in Garissa and nominated by their respective communities of interests, will help in advising the Executive on the needs and the priorities of the people, said the Governor.

“These elders are people who are highly respected by their respective communities and us a County administration we are ready to work with them so that they can help us in promoting cohesion, peaceful co-existence and dissemination of information pertaining to the roles of the County government” Jama said.

REPORT SAYS 47 AL-SHABAAB KILLED IN MANDERA BORDER

BY ADOW JUBAT

Aerial and ground Counter Terrorism operations inside Somalia killed 47 Somali militants on Tuesday as the Al-Qaeda inspired group renewed its hit and attacks in Northern Kenya in the last one week after months of a lull.

On Tuesday the terrorists had planted the bombs on a route often used by Kenya Security Forces patrol units stationed in Mandera.

Intelligence shows that the terrorists often detonate an IED to attract security response with the intent of blowing other bombs targeting those forces.

KDF and other security agencies in Kenya are currently conducting operations inside Somalia.
According to the intelligencebriefs.com during the operation targeting terror bases near Kenya/Somali border, ground troops intercepted elements of terror group al-Shabaab and killed three before arresting the fourth one.

In aerial bombardment of Gandodawo area inside Somali the unconfirmed report added destroyed five armored Toyota pick-up vehicles commonly known as techinicals. 

It n the aerial airstrikes, actual damage assessments showed that a terror forward base and its logistic resources were completely destroyed leading to killing of 47 militants using the bases and these resources during the air raid the reports further adds.

However, a freelance journalist based in Bulla-Hawa who declined to be named told the Standard on phone that there were no death neither casualties in airstrikes that hit Somali border areas between Irrida, Gadondawo  and Elma’an about 15 kilometers from Bulla-Xawa town.

Kenya has intensified counter terrorism operations against Somali terror group Haraka al-Shabaab al-Mujahedeen since 2011 when the country sent its military personnels inside Somalia thus making the group weakling.

On Tuesday night hours after an aborted explosion attacks in Mandera 4 people were killed, while three other were seriously injured in an attack linked to the Somali based al-Shabaab militia in North-Eastern border town of Wajir on Tuesday night.

The attack that rocked Bulla Burwaqo, a village located 4 kilometers to west Wajir police station, bolts the prevailing lull from such attacks enjoyed by the residents of the town.

The last such attack occurred on September last year and left three fatalities on its trail.

Confirming the incident to the Standard on phone from Wajir the area County police Commander Samuel Mukindia said the deceased were burnt beyond recognition, after the premises they were in caught fire from explosives hurled at by the attackers.

He “The assailants lobbed explosives at the building, which was serving as enjoined goods and Mpesa shop killing four people and wounding 3 others who were inside the shop at the time of the raid. The victims were killed in the ensuing burning of the shop”,

Mukindia said the assailants who were numbering about 4 – 6 according to the eye witnesses were all armed with guns and explosives adding that they shot at shoppers who were at the premises indiscriminate before hurling the impaction incendiaries at the shop as they retreat.

”We don’t know the motive and identity of the attackers since nobody has claimed responsibility so far, but the attacks bear the hallmarks of previous attacks in the town and other parts of the region, which al-Shabaab has claimed responsibilities”, He noted.

The premise caved into smoldering debris due to the impacts of the explosive used against.

The County police chief said among those who sustained injuries is a teenage girl who was selling the shop at the time of incident.

The police boss said the attacker changed tactics by moving to areas less expected of been target, after intensified combined security patrols made difficulty for the criminals to carry any of their heinous attacks in the town.

He said a combined security team led by the Kenya Defense Force (KDF) from Wajir military are pursuing the fleeing assailants adding that they were confidence they will caught up with them soon.

The attack occurs hours after suspected Al-Shabaab militants had set three IEDs at border point three, a place where police patrolling the common border with Somalia take guard from.

The scene of the Mandera explosion is about six kilometers from the KDF camp where Interior coordination secretary in charge of security Victor Okioma arrived Mandera to assess the security situation in the border county held a meeting with area top security chiefs.

Mandera East Deputy County Commissioner Elvis Korir who confirmed the incident said one of the IED planted in the area went off; the other two were detonated by anti terror police a few minutes later after the explosion.

Nobody was injured in the incident and no arrests have been made in connection to the incident.

Area security agents have made several arrests on criminals terrorizing residents, after last year’s bus attack where 28 people were killed by Al-Shabaab, three key suspects were apprehended and after Friday’s attack of one of area governor’s security vehicle where three people were killed a person has since been arrested and is helping police with investigations.

Mandera county commissioner Alex Nkoyo on Monday, said police are searching for a vehicle which was used to ferry criminals who killed one person on Sunday night where three others were critically injured.

4 KILLED, 3 INJURED IN SUSPECTED TERROR ATTACK IN WAJIR

BY ADOW JUBAT- Editor Frontier Leaks

An attack linked to the Somali based al-Shabaab militia has claimed 4 lives and left 3 other with various serious bodily injuries in North-Eastern border town of Wajir on Tuesday night.

The attack that rocked Bulla Burwaqo, a village located 4 kilometers to west of Wajir police station, bolts the prevailing lull from such attacks enjoyed by the residents of the town.

The last such attack occurred on September last year and left three fatalities on its trail.

Confirming the incident to the Frontier Leaks on phone from Wajir the area County police Commander Samuel Mukindia said the deceased were burnt beyond recognition, after the premises they were in caught fire from explosives hurled at by the attackers during the attack.

He "The assailants lobbed explosives at the building, which was serving as enjoined goods and Mpesa shop killing four people and wounding 3 others who were inside the shop at the time of the raid.

The victims were killed in the ensuing burning of the shop",
All those killed were men.

Mukindia said the assailants who were numbering about 4 – 6 according to the eye witnesses were all heavily armed with guns and explosives adding that they shot at shoppers who were at the premises indiscriminate before hurling the impaction incendiaries at the shop as they retreat.

"We don't know the motive and identity of the attackers since nobody has claimed responsibility so far, but the attacks bear the hallmarks of previous attacks in the town and other parts of the region, which al-Shabaab has claimed its responsibility", He noted.

The premise caved into smoldering debris due to the impacts of the explosive used against, he explained.

The County police chief said among those who sustained injuries is a teenage girl who was selling the shop during 8.20 pm incident.

The police boss said the attackers changed tactics by moving to areas less expected of been a target of the criminals, after intensified combined security patrols made difficulty for them to carry any of their heinous attacks within their usually target areas in the town.

He said a combined security team led by the Kenya Defense Force (KDF) from Wajir military are pursuing the fleeing assailants adding that they were confidence they will caught up with them soon.

The attack occurs hours after suspected Al-Shabaab militants had set three IEDs at border point three, a place where police patrolling the common border with Somalia usually take guard.

The scene of the Mandera explosion is about six kilometers from the KDF camp where Interior coordination secretary in charge of security Victor Okioma who arrived Mandera to assess the security situation in the border county held a meeting with area top security chiefs.

Mandera East Deputy County Commissioner Elvis Korir who confirmed the incident said one of the IED planted in the area went off; the other two were detonated by anti terror police a few minutes later after the explosion.

Nobody was injured in the incident and no arrests have been made in connection to the incident.

Area security agents have made several arrests on criminals terrorizing residents, after last year's bus terror attack killed 28 people traveling by a Mekkah bus to Nairobi from Mandera town.

Three key suspects were apprehended after Friday's attack on the convoy of Mandera governor Ali Roba. Three people were killed in this incident.

A suspect has since been arrested and is helping police with investigations.

Mandera county commissioner Alex Nkoyo on Monday, said police are searching for a vehicle which was used to ferry criminals who killed one person on Sunday night where three others were critically injured.