PHOTO | FILE FAFI Member of Parliament Elias Barre Shill testifying before the Parliamentary Committee for Environment and Natural Resources at Parliament Buildings on August 28, 2013. NATION MEDIA GROUP
Monday, January 27, 2014
MPs investigating the Westgate shopping mall terrorist attack claim security agencies have surrendered Mandera town to terrorists.
In a chilling finding on the extent of the terror threat from the Somali-based al-Shabaab, the joint parliamentary committees note that security forces usually don’t have control of the town, especially at night. They called on the government to take tough measures to loosen the terrorists’ grip.
The committee proposes that the government demolishes all illegal structures erected at the no-man’s land at the Kenya-Somalia border, which are believed to harbour terrorists.
“The government should demolish all illegal structures constructed in the ‘no-man’s land’ and clearly demarcate the border between Kenya and Somalia. A major trench should be dug to deter immigrants from crossing the border. People should only be allowed to cross at designated areas. Screening of people crossing the border should be tightened,” say the MPs.
During their investigations, the joint committee co-chaired by Mr Asman Kamama and Mr Ndung’u Gethenji visited Mandera in Northern Kenya and Kilifi at the Coast.
In the report, the members observed that there was no presence of security in Mandera and the few police officers were negligent.
“The government should post more security personnel to boost patrols along the border in Mandera County. There is literally no police presence or patrol in the town at night. The town is patrolled by a handful of home-guards who are not properly equipped to deal with militia insurgence,” states the report tabled before Parliament last month.
Further, the report recommended employment of more home-guards in Mandera to augment efforts of officers patrolling the Kenya-Somalia border.
“The Administration Police posts such as Damasa, Libihiya, Hareri, Kalaliyo, Hareri Hosle, Kamor and Border Point 1 should be re-opened immediately in order to safeguard lives and property of the people residing there. The military camp should be strengthened. More armoured vehicles should be provided to the military. The military should be deployed to patrol along the border between Kenya and Somalia,” say the legislators.
They raised concern that non-Kenyan children were being admitted to Kenyan schools and in the process end up being citizens of Kenya.
“Admission into basic primary education should be thoroughly scrutinised. It is alleged that children of non-Kenyans are admitted to local schools and end up as citizens who, after school, get absorbed into the military, police and public service.”
“Mushrooming private schools are also admitting students from Somalia,” says the report.