Join the fight against terrorism, religious leaders and elders urged

Religious leaders and elders in northern Kenya have been urged to join the fight against terrorism amid rising cases in the volatile region.

North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno said clan elders and religious leaders in Wajir County should cooperate with government security agencies for the fight against terrorism to succeed.

Speaking in Wajir town, Mr Otieno said both groups remained a vital component in the fight against terrorism.

"We are calling on clan elders and religious leaders to join us in the fight against terrorism being propagated by the al-Shabaab group," he said.

Mr Otieno's call came as he revealed that al-Shabaab militants are in at least four sub-counties in Wajir County.

"We are consolidating our efforts to fight al-Shabaab who are already in four sub-counties in Wajir. Our clan elders have pledged to join the government and together, we will fight al-Shabaab," he said.

According to the North Eastern regional boss, the clan elders have the much needed information in the fight against terrorism and that is why he had camped in Wajir to follow the elders to inform the government.

"These elders have the information we need and their experience in conflict resolution will help us a lot in the fight against al-Shabaab," he said.

Mr Otieno reiterated the national government's commitment to supporting members of the National Police Reservists (NPRs) stationed in the region.

"We will support the NPRs in this region by providing them with much needed equipment to complement our efforts in this fight," he said.

Security agencies

He urged security agencies in Wajir and the entire region to be at the forefront and always act on any information they receive.

"We are constantly receiving information on the activities of al-Shabaab in this region and I want our security officers to act on it quickly enough so that we can win this battle," said Mr Otieno.

For a safe North Eastern region, Mr Otieno said the cooperation of all stakeholders was paramount.

"We want to have a safe region where everybody can go about their daily business without interruption," he said.

Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi echoed the regional commissioner's sentiments, calling for local cooperation from all stakeholders in the fight against al-Shabaab. 

"As elected leaders, we have agreed to join national government agencies in the fight against terrorism by sensitising our people on the need to secure Wajir," he said.

Mr Abdullahi attributed the increased presence of al-Shabaab in Wajir to the ongoing crackdown on the militants in Somalia.

In August 2022, the Somali government launched a new offensive against the terror group, capitalising on growing discontent with the Islamist insurgency.

In a televised speech, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced that his government would launch a "total war" against the al-Qaeda-linked militant group after it carried out staged a deadly hotel siege in Mogadishu, killing at least 21 people and wounding more than 100.

The operation has resulted in the largest territorial gains, as soldiers fighting alongside clan militias have pushed al-Shabaab militants out of significant parts of Somalia.

Feeling the heat in Somalia, the militants are crossing into Kenya and finding sanctuary in Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Lamu counties.

"The recent rains and improved vegetation have created a conducive environment for the enemy to hide and easily get food, but we will work with the national government to flush them out," said the Wajir governor.

Mr Abdullahi stressed the need for a stable and secure Wajir for development.

"Al-Shabaab operates in a way that can only be defeated with the help of the locals and that is why we have involved all the clan elders from all the six constituencies so that we can agree on the way forward," he said.

He warned that if the militants are not flushed out of Wajir, the county will fall into their hands and they (militants) will adopt the Boko Haram style.

"We will not wait to go the Boko Haram way. We need our schools to reopen, we need accessible health facilities and our roads must be passable," he said.

According to Mr Abdullahi, development in Wajir and other counties in the north had stagnated due to terrorist attacks and threats.

"We are committed to working together at both levels of government and the local community to fight al-Shabaab, just like what is happening in Somalia," he said.

Wajir East MP Adan Daud said his constituency had become a playground for al-Shabaab in Wajir County.

"My constituency has been the route used by al-Shabaab to move in and out of the county. I call on my constituents to join hands with the security agencies and political leaders so that we can end this menace in Wajir," he said.

On June 3, suspected al-Shabaab militants killed a police reservist and destroyed a Safaricom communications mast in Ogaralle town in Wajir County.