Mandera Governor Mohamed Khalif has demanded the immediate removal of Jubaland forces from the county, warning that his administration will act if the national government fails to intervene.
Speaking on Friday, Khalif said the presence of the recently established Jubaland camp has fuelled insecurity and forced the closure of schools ahead of national examinations.
“We want to call upon President William Ruto, who is also the commander-in-chief, to shut down the BP1 camp opened recently. We are asking for an immediate relocation of Jubaland forces out of Mandera,” Khalif said.
The governor added that if the national government does not act, the county will “do it ourselves.”
According to him, a public school was shut down and converted into a military training camp to house Jubaland forces.
Khalif argued that Mandera has no stake in Somalia’s affairs and should not bear the consequences of Kenya’s support for Jubaland.
“You cannot lock residents’ land, close schools and cut off water supply in the name of supporting a faction in Somalia. We don’t have any interest in Somalia,” he insisted.
The governor made the remarks during the launch of a dialysis centre and the groundbreaking for an MRI unit and specialist clinics at Mandera County Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Khalif further claimed that the foreign troops undermine Kenya’s sovereignty and called on the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to stop supporting Jubaland forces. He also urged Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to intervene immediately.
In a strongly worded statement, Khalif told Ethiopian nationals not to use Mandera as a route to support Somalia, warning them to use alternative border points instead.
“Kindly keep out of Mandera. If you want to support Somalia, there are many border entries you can use. Don’t use Mandera Town as a support base,” he warned.
Earlier this month, residents of Mandera staged demonstrations demanding the withdrawal of Jubaland forces, accusing them of fueling insecurity.
Jubaland Vice President Mohamed Sayid has since dismissed the claims, saying its troops remain confined to the border region shared with Kenya.
sz15pt