Leaders seek 900 more police reservists in northern Kenya over Shabaab threat

Northern Kenya leaders want the government to recruit 900 Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) in Mandera, Wajir and Garissa counties to fight Al-Shabaab.

Condemning the bus attacks in Mandera that left six people killed and eight injured on Friday, Mandera Governor Ali Roba said the KPR deployment was one of the requests made to President Uhuru Kenyatta by governors, senators and MPs from the areas that was yet to be implemented.

Mr Roba, who cut short his Ramadhan trip to Saudi Arabia and returned to the country following the Friday bus attacks, said each of the three counties that neighbour Somalia should have at least 300 KPRs to conduct foot patrols to counter Al-Shabaab.

Mr Roba told the Nation on phone from Saudi Arabia said five passengers and one police reservist died during the attack between Elwak and Wargadud.

Eight passengers were injured, three of them critically and transferred to Mandera Referral Hospital.

Mr Roba said there was increased movement of terror cells between Lafey and El-Rhamu over the last two months.

TERROR CELL MOVEMENT

Although the government had provided enough security to Mandera, Mr Roba said the personnel only conducted patrols on main road while Al-Shabaab operated in the bushes.

"This makes it very difficult to overcome the challenge of terror cells movement.

That is why as North Eastern leaders we had requested for 300 KPRs to be positioned in Mandera and work under police and chiefs," Mr Roba said.

He said the KPRs are to work in zones and complement security personnel who are reluctant to do foot patrol due to lack of knowledge of local terrain thus allowing free movement of terror cells.

Apart from understanding the local terrain, Mr Roba said, the KPRs also understand local language and would help engage Al-Shabaab cells.

"It is sad that despite all recommendations to the President having been implemented, the hiring of KPRs has not been done even as the situation gets out of hand, a thing that is unacceptable," the governor said.

"The security system should expedite the implementation of the recommendation."

He said Al-Shabaab wanted to sanction Mandera's economy by scaring away non-local professionals.

Mr Roba said locals should stand up and defend the county by supporting local security forces "in all aspects."

"We cannot allow alienation of a section of the country by Al-Shabaab. Local pastoralists need to share specific actionable intelligence on terror cells," Mr Roba said.

He called on national security team to cut time it takes to provide air support in case of attacks as the terrorists are also pursued by road.

Mr Roba said it was due to government support through President Kenyatta that security in Mandera Town had improved.

The governor asked northern Kenya residents to play a proactive role in fighting Al-Shabaab.