The Kenya, Somalia border row is deepening and residents of Mandera are feeling the pinch after clashes in Somalia continuously spill across the border into the country.
For the past one month, the Somali National Army (SNA) and the Jubbaland forces have been fighting against each other after a local security minister known as Abdirashid Janan fled jail in Mogadishu back to Jubbaland, and into Kenya.
There have been several times communication was cut in the town as the clashes go on in Bula Hawa town on the other side of the Kenya-Somalia border.
Somalia had earlier accused Kenya of arming tribal militia in the country saying Kenya was “overstepping its mandate and abusing its membership and interfering with the internal affairs of the host country with total disregard of the stipulated regulations of the Federal Government of Somalia.”
Leaders from the northern region say the tensions are very high yet Kenya’s national government has failed to pay attention or establish measures to deescalate the situation.
“Over the last month, there has been a major fallout between the regional government of Jubaland and the federal government of Somalia… On Monday, the 2nd of March, the two forces attacked each other with unknown casualties on both sides but left 12 people injured in Mandera town due to stray bullets, where one succumbed to the injuries.” Ali Roba, Mandera governor said during a press conference in Nairobi.
Governor Roba says the situation along the border has residents who live in the north living in fear as some flee their homes because the government cannot adequately protect them. He says the government needs to expel “foreigners” from Mandera.
Kenyanbulletin can ascertain that Governor Roba wants the fugitive minister exiled from the country.
