Tension gripped Isiolo on Thursday evening after the Secretary General of
the Somali Council of Elders, Mzee Idle Hassan, was shot multiple times by
unknown assailants near Jamia Mosque in the heart of Isiolo town.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred
at around 8:00 p.m., moments after Mzee Idle had left evening prayers.
He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Medical officials confirmed
he is currently receiving treatment, and his condition is being closely
monitored.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear,
but Isiolo Governor Abdi Hassan Guyo linked the shooting to Mzee Idle’s vocal
opposition to a recently failed impeachment motion.
The governor described the incident as a “brazen and cowardly act,”
suggesting that it may have been politically motivated.
“This appears to be connected to his firm
stance against the recently failed impeachment process,” Governor Guyo said in a
statement.
“There is growing concern over the presence of suspected OLF [Oromo
Liberation Front] operatives in Isiolo, whose intentions may be to instill fear
and disrupt the peace our communities have preserved for more than two
decades.”
Governor Guyo called on national security
agencies to launch immediate investigations, arrest the suspects, and restore
public confidence in security measures.
“I urge our security agencies to move swiftly
and decisively to investigate this heinous crime, bring the perpetrators to
justice, and reassure the people of Isiolo of their safety and protection,” he
said.
The attack has sparked fear among residents,
particularly community leaders, some of whom have previously raised concerns
about rising political tensions in the county.
Mzee Idle Hassan has been a respected figure
in peacebuilding efforts across Isiolo and the broader northern Kenya region.
His role as Secretary General of the Somali Council of Elders placed him at the centre of community dialogue and dispute resolution.
