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Mandera holds stakeholders engagement forum to address security challenges

Assistant County Commissioner Nick Mbita during a community dialogue forum in Mandera Town on March 27, 2024. (Photo: Adan Mohamed)

By Adan Mohamed | Thursday, March 28, 2024

Mandera Town has been placed under high surveillance and enhanced security measures following a terror attack on Monday at the Fish Point Kiosk that led to the deaths of four people.

A community dialogue forum was held in Mandera on Wednesday, bringing together various stakeholders to address security challenges in the county amid recent cases of terror attacks in the county.

The participants included local security administrators, donkey cart owners, boda boda riders, and taxi operators, all considered crucial components of daily life in Mandera County.

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The Office of the County Commissioner, represented by Assistant County Commissioner Nick Mbita, emphasised the importance of involving these stakeholders due to their integral roles in the community.

Mbita highlighted that many security incidents often involve taxi operators and donkey cart owners, urging everyone to provide timely information to security authorities to address such challenges effectively.

"Our goal is to have everyone vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the security authorities," Mbita said.

The session underscored that many incidents, including terror attacks, theft, and murder, have links to taxi operators and donkey cart owners.

The forum aimed to prevent future security-related incidents by fostering collaboration and awareness among all stakeholders in Mandera County.

Vigilance

Mbita also highlighted that a significant percentage of these incidents involve perpetrators entering Kenya through the Mandera triangle where the countries of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia meet, urging vigilance at entry points and reporting any suspicious activities promptly.

Participants during a community dialogue forum held in Mandera Town on March 27, 2024. (Photo: Adan Mohamed)

2"We are committed to cooperating with security officers to maintain peace in the county," Chairman Ali Noor speaking on behalf of taxi operators said.

Mandera Township MCA Feisal Abdullahi urged security officers to work collaboratively with residents, emphasising the importance of treating all information provided by residents as vital without subjecting them to harassment.

Chairman Ali Alio of the boda boda operators and his donkey cart operators counterpart Isak Dhahia Ahmed also echoed the sentiments of cooperation and vigilance, emphasising the collective responsibility of keeping the town safe and reporting any suspicious activities promptly to authorities.

Mandera Town has been placed under high surveillance and enhanced security measures following a terror attack on Monday at the Fish Point Kiosk, Mutunga.

Four people, including Police Constable Alex Mbuvi Munguti of the Mandera Police Station and Police Constable Cyprian Kuta of the Quick Response Unit based at Arabia in Mandera, lost their lives in the attack, according to a police report. 11 others were injured.

Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif condemned the attack terming it "cowardly and heinous" and noted that the government remained committed to peace and security.

On January 18, a police officer was killed and four others injured in Mandera, in an attack involving a donkey cart laden with explosives.