by KENNEDY KIMANTHI
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Security personnel at the scene of the deadly attack that targeted Governor Ali Roba's convoy on March 13, 2015.
A wave of deadly attacks launched by Al-Shabaab and long-standing conflicts among rival clans threaten to turn Mandera County into a killing field.
Despite assurances from the government that the county is safe, the militants, who have claimed responsibility for the attacks — the latest being one on Friday that left four people dead — seem to perpetuate violence with impunity.
Mandera Governor Ali Roba, who escaped unhurt in that attack, said the government must do more to assure the safety of Mandera residents.
Speaking to the Sunday Nation on Friday, an emotional Mr Roba said this was the fifth attempt on his life, and he questioned the national government’s seriousness to safeguard his life.
“I cannot stop living my life because of consistent terrorism yet security personnel are protecting another nation,” said Mr Roba, holding back tears.
He was referring to the continued stay in Somalia of the Kenya Defence Forces under the African Union Mission.
The youthful governor, a pilot by profession, said he was “frustrated beyond words” by the national government.
'DEAFENING SILENCE'
“I don’t know if the government is waiting for me to die before taking my security seriously; maybe they are waiting until I am killed to understand that the threats are real,” Mr Roba of URP said.
“After the killing of many Kenyans, a security operation centre was established in the county but was removed in less than a month for no apparent reason. This is unacceptable. The government has a responsibility to protect the whole country, and there is no need for it to keep soldiers to protect Somalis instead of protecting Kenyans,” he said.
He told the Sunday Nation that attempts to secure an armoured car had been met with “deafening silence” from the office of the Inspector-General of Police and the Interior ministry.
“I have not received any response from them, and I wonder whether Mandera is in Kenya or another country,” he said.
Just like owning a gun, one has to be licensed to acquire an armoured vehicle. He said he had written to then acting IG Samuel Arachi, former Interior minister Joseph ole Lenku and Principal Secretary Monica Juma to be allowed to use an armoured vehicle.
In the first incident on July 16 last year, a vehicle belonging to Mr Roba was sprayed with bullets at Gerti in Garissa. Mr Roba was not in the vehicle.
His driver and three others escaped unhurt. Later attackers ambushed a Tawakal bus, killed a passenger and injured others.
“My vehicle was shot at in Derti in Garissa and its rear windshield shattered. My driver, two security escorts and a passenger were in the vehicle which was being taken to Nairobi for service. The occupants drove to Garissa where they reported the attack,” Mr Roba said at the time.
COUNTY GOVT OFFICES ATTACKED
Last August, eight heavily armed attackers fired a mortar-propelled grenade at the county government offices, damaging one side of the building.
The perimeter wall was also extensively damaged. Nobody was hurt as none of the workers had reported for work.
In October, the county boss escaped unhurt after a powerful device exploded as his motorcade passed through Mandera town. His bodyguard was injured. They were in a convoy of four vehicles.
In a statement, the governor called the attack an attempted assassination because the blast was a close-range controlled explosion.
In Friday’s attack, the suspected Al-Shabaab militants fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the governor’s convoy. The attack occurred between Nafey and Imo, a few kilometres from where terrorists ambushed a bus and massacred 28 passengers on November 22 last year.
The governor said the government had a moral obligation to protect all Kenyans.
“No life is more important than the other. We do not want to keep on crying nor feel imprisoned in our own county. As the governor of Mandera, I have to provide services to the locals without worrying about security issues. The right attention should be given to the security in the county,” he said.
In New York, three governors who are attending a UN event condemned Friday’s Mandera attack and demanded that the national government address the county’s security situation and do more to guarantee Mr Roba’s personal security.
GOVERNOR TARGET OF ATTACK
Governors Ukur Yatani (Marsabit), Mosel Lenolkulal (Samburu) and Benjamin Cheboi (Baringo) said Mr Roba was the target of the Friday attack.
They said the National Government must act on calls by their Mandera counterpart to deal with insecurity in the county that borders Somalia and Ethiopia.
“It was a well-planned attack targeting the governor. He has many times asked the national government to act, but we have not seen much action. We shudder at what would happen in the next attack on him,” said Mr Yatani.
Mr Cheboi asked the government to come up with a comprehensive security plan for counties on the Ethopian and Somali borders.
Mr Lenolkulal appealed to Interior Secretary Joseph Nkaissery to deal firmly with insecurity in cattle rustling prone areas.
“As we express solidarity with our Mandera colleague, we demand that the cabinet secretary deals firmly with insecurity.
"This is an al-Shabaab attack, and since Mr Roba has complained three times, we do not want to imagine what would happen at the fourth time,” said the Samburu County boss.
The three county bosses are in New York to attend the 59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women taking place at the United Nations headquarters.