• Between 2014 and 2015 when Shaabab terror attacks were at their peak, Mararani was one of the villages used by the militants as a base to sleep and rest.
• Linda Boni operation succeeded in restoring peace but some former residents have sworn never to return.
A village in Lamu East has been totally deserted following frequent al Shabaab raids that led to the flight of villagers in 2014 never to return.
Once a lively village with over 80 households, Mararani village is now a haunted and miserable shadow of its former self.
Currently, there are only four households in the village.
Between 2014 and 2015 when Shaabab terror attacks were at their peak, Mararani was one of the villages used by the militants as a base to sleep and rest.
The village located deep inside the infamous Boni Forest is among five others–including Basuba, Milimani, Mangai and Kiangwe–listed as terror-prone due to their closeness to the Somalia border and the ease with which they are accessed by militants.
Whenever the militants came knocking, the villagers would flee leaving an entire village for the terrorists to use as they pleased.
Eventually, many of the villagers grew weary of running and went away for good with many settling in Lamu island, Kiunga and other islands.
The terror raids which left hundreds of civilians and security officers dead prompted the launch of the Linda Boni security operation in 2015 in a bid to flush out militants believed to be holed up inside the Boni Forest.
Thanks to the operation, peace and stability has since been restored.
However, despite the security guarantee, those who fled have never returned as village head Hassan Mahadhi explains.
He urged the government to encourage them to return.
“The village is so empty. It’s just me, my family and three other families. There has never been an incident since the security operation started. That means its safe,” Mahadhi said.
The village school, Mararani Primary, is among five schools set to be re-opened next year after being closed for over five years due to insecurity.
Mahadhi asks who will attend the schools as there are no children in the village anymore.
“If those who went away don’t return, that school will be useless as there will be no learners. Parents fled with their kids. We hope the government can coerce them to return before January,” he said.
Mararani village elder Abdi Chengele says the government should improve the road networks and other amenities to be able to attract back those fled.
“Security is good but there are no roads. Even motorcycles cannot operate here. There are no shops or dispensaries,” Chengele said.
Musa Aden, who fled in early 2015 and now lives in Lamu town with his entire family, vows never to go back no matter how things are.
He says for once, the family has been able to lead a normal life free of fear and trauma contrary to what they had been subjected to in Mararani.
“It's not a good life and I never want to go back even if the security is okay. My kids can go to school and I can access hospitals easily."
Lamu county commissioner Irungu Macharia affirmed that security had been restored in the areas adding that plans were underway to reconstruct all the roads to facilitate ease of transport.
Edited by R.Wamochie