Defence CS ask Chiefs to get information on Al-Shabaab

Ijara Monday 26 June 2023,

KNA by Mohammed Dahir

Defence Cabinet Secretary Adan Dualle has asked chiefs and their assistants to be on ground and get the right information on Al-Shabaab militants who enter their location and stop running away to towns like Masalani and Garissa Township. 

Mr Dualle who was speaking during a community participation public baraza in Masalani Town said that chiefs and their assistants are equal to all the people they serve and should stop discriminating against communities as they will be held accountable. 

The CS was reacting to several complaints from residents who said they are not given equitable share by committee and chiefs who were mandated to identify needy beneficiaries and desperate residents in Ijara constituency and Garissa County in general. 

He said non-governmental organisations like Mercy Corps, USAID, Save the Children, NDMA and Red Cross must ensure they follow up on the committees and chiefs to serve the community effectively.

Dualle called on Principal Secretary Interior and Coordination of National Government Mr Tom Omollo to confirm with the Deputy County commissioner that chiefs are in the location at all times.

However, Dualle noted that chiefs are the government organ on the ground and any chief who is not in his locality should pack and go home. “We cannot leave our people to al-Shabaab militants and here you are receiving salary from the tax payers,” he said.

“We cannot accept to leave our land and it is the people who are to report these al-Shabaab militants to the security apparatus who are based along Kenya-Somalia border. 

The deputy County commissioner who are chief managers and officers on ground must make public baraza at least twice on the government progress and the operation which he said cannot be mentioned on camera. 

However, Dualle said community participation on security is paramount and called all DCCs to report on insecurity on the ground and warned the residents that those who are sympathizers to Alshabab militants will be tracked and dealt with.

The meeting came barely one week after people who are suspected to be al-Shabaab militants planted an IED on Handaro-Sangailu Road where 10 KDF officers perished, one being from Masalani town Ijara sub-County and three from Lamu County. 

The suspected al-Shabaab militants are said to have fled the Somalia national army and Amisom and Maxawosley local youth who were armed to defend their territory. 

The meeting was attended by Omollo, North Eastern Regional Commissioner Mr John Otieno, and deputy County commissioners from Ijara, Bothai, Hulugho and Fafi constituencies, 

All MPs Ijara Abdi Ali Sheikhow, Fafi Salah Yakub and Dekow Barrow attended the meeting.

Barely a week later CS interior and national government Prof. Kithure Kindiki has made a major reshuffle that had affected most of deputy County commissioners to serve in other parts of the country. 

According to the CS’s press release, the deputy County commissioner must serve with due diligence to the people they serve. About 204 deputy County commissioner were transferred in the first Kenya Kwanza shake up in the provincial administration. 

Courtesy ; K. N. A