Mandera crime wave blamed on foreigners

Monday, June 17, 2013

Employment of foreigners by residents of Mandera has been cited as the reason behind the increase in insecurity incidences in the county.

Khalalio location chief in Mandera East Mohamed Kahiye revealed that many aliens from the Neighboring countries of Ethiopia and Somalia were working in Mandera illegally after they were employed by the local people.

Speaking during a public baraza, Kahiye said “Many foreigners were working in Khalalio location and Mandera town as housekeepers, livestock herders, farm boys and workers at hotels and lodges without following the laid down procedures of employing non-Kenyans to work in the country”.

He added “ People are employing foreigners of unknown characters and origin to work at their homes, business premises and herd their livestock and blame the government when their properties are stolen by criminals guided by the aliens working for them”

Currently, seventeen people majority of them foreigners working in Mandera are facing a charges of planning to commit felony in a Mandera court, this is after they were arrested by police with assembled Improvised Explosive Device in Mandera town three weeks ago.

Mandera town has become unsafe with criminals taking charge. they use mental bar, knives and firearms to attack unsuspecting residents and visitors of the town. The attacks from the marauding gangs has forced people to retreat to their house as early as 5pm.

The administrator lamented that, the employment of the aliens, has also denied many Kenyans idle youth gainful employment, which in turned has forced the unemployed youth in engaging in criminal activities.

Chief Kahiye warned the local resident to desist from hiring foreigners saying that, the government will take stern legal action against those who contravene immigration procedures of employing non-Kenyans.

“As the eyes of the government at grassroots level, we are responsible to the safety of the people in areas of our jurisdictions and we can’t allow aliens to work in our country. Nobody knows the motives and characters of foreigners who come to our towns purporting to look for a manual work” Mr. Kahiye noted.

Early this week, six government officials including officers from the Ministry of Housing were attacked at broad daylight with knives and metal bar by a criminal gangs, who waylaid them onto the entrance of their office.

However, the local people prefer to employee non-Kenyans particularly Ethiopian, for their cheap labor and being obedient in taking orders from their employers and their willingness to work for long hours.

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