NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 31 – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged President William Ruto to deploy the Kenya Defence Forces to Mandera to expel Jubaland forces allegedly operating within the town.
Gachagua warned that the presence of the foreign militia poses a threat to Kenya’s sovereignty.
“And it cannot be that foreign forces are in our land and the government is quiet. The commander-in-chief is quiet. We asking the commander-in-chief of the Kenya Defence Forces to immediately order an operation to flush out foreign troops out of our land. This is our country. We have a responsibility to protect our territorial integrity.”
“It cannot be that forces from Somalia can come into Kenya and occupy our land and terrorize our people. Yet the government is quiet and the leaders of Mandera are quiet,” Gachagua stated.
This comes just days after Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif demanded the immediate withdrawal of Jubaland troops, claiming they were active inside the county.
Khalif on Friday claimed the forces had established a camp at BP1 Primary School in Mandera Town, forcing its closure and displacing pupils preparing for national exams.
“Mandera cannot be turned into a battleground for Somalia. We have no interest in Somalia except peace. If the forces are not removed immediately, we will take action ourselves.”
“You cannot close schools, farms and water supplies in the name of supporting a faction in Somalia,” Khalif said.
The Mandera Governor revealed that fighting between the Somali National Army and Jubaland forces spilt across our border, disrupting lives and threatening the safety of our people.
Locals who have been protesting against presence of Jubaland forces in the town have expressed concern over possible war that could spill into the border town.
An article on Hiran Online, says Jubaland Vice President Mohamed Sayid denied the allegations earlier this month, stating that its forces remain confined to the border region shared with Kenya.
