Resolutions reached at a forum aimed at curbing terrorism which was attended by all current and former political leaders in Garissa on Monday
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Garissa leaders want chiefs armed and 10 police officers stationed at every chief's camp and special forces deployed to terror-prone zones to curb terrorism.
The call is among new measures aimed at countering terror attacks, including the deployment of KDF to man the border with Somalia.
The leaders also want all roads upgraded to bitumen standards to avoid the planting of Improvised Explosive Devices that have killed many police officers.
Garissa has suffered two terror attacks this month in Kamuthe and Saretho in Dadaab and Fafi subcounties respectively in al Shabaab orchestrated raids that left three teachers and four pupils killed.
On Monday, current and former political leaders held a consultative forum for peace and security aimed at countering violent extremism.
The forum resolved to form a committee to collect views from residents and share with police for action and implementation.
Governor Ali Korane, Senator Yusuf Haji, National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale (Garissa Township MP ), Sofia Abdinoor (Ijara), Mohamed Dahiye (Dadaab), Mohamed Hire (Lagdera), Omar Shurie (Balambala), Abdikarim Osman (Fafi) attended.
East Africa Legislative Assembly member and former Balambala MP Abdikadir Omar was also present.
The leaders said local administrators like chiefs should be armed and KDF deployed to man the border with Somalia instead of police officers without specialised training who are currently deployed to the border area.
They also demanded an end extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances of locals and called on security agencies to treat volunteers of information with utmost secrecy to avoid victimisation.
They said tarmacking of roads with end planting of IEDs that have killed 53 police officers since 2017.
Duale said locals must defend themselves from criminals because development projects cannot proceed without proper security.
He said the government must engage locals in the fight against terror and urged religious leaders to be at the forefront in speaking against terror.
“Views of locals should be incorporated in the fight against terror. They should not be victimised or isolated,” Duale said.
Korane said the time for blame game was over and that homegrown solutions to end the al Shabaab menace must be found.
''We the local leaders and community members together with the county security committee should come up with resolutions that we will share with top security organs for immediate ratification," Korane said.
He said his administration will fully support efforts geared towards fighting al Shabaab.
Duale called for the enforcement of a Presidential directive to deploy more specialised forces in the region and involvement of the local community in the fight against terror.
Osman whose Fafi constituency is the latest victim of the attacks, said schools, hospitals and other social amenities have been shut down due to insecurity.
He said community policing, Nyumba Kumi initiative and an active intelligence gathering must be enhanced to suppress more incursion.
“Locals have a bigger role in the fight against terror. It is not time to engage in blame game but come with workable proposals that we are going to share with national government security agencies,” Osman said.
Former Fafi MP Rtd Major Aden Sugow, IPOA commissioner Fatuma Mohamud, National Treasury adviser Fatuma Madin, EACC commissioner Dabar Abdi were als present.
edited by peter Obuya