Politics, border disputes Garre, Degodia clan clashes

Some of the women who sought refuge at Tarjab IDP camp. They are asking State to stabilise security [PHOTO: MOSES OMUSULA/STANDARD]

MANDERA COUNTY: The perennial conflicts between the Garre and Degodia clans of Mandera and Wajir counties have been attributed to political and historical border disputes.

Some 75,000 people have been left homeless and scores killed, according to Kenya Red Cross Society following the recent attacks. The wars escalated two months ago after three Degodia men, on a road construction mission on Burmayo- Fincharo Road, near Kutulo on the border of Mandera and Wajir were killed.

Wajir County Commissioner Naftali Mungathia, in an interview with The Standard on Sunday said the wars were fuelled by politics. “Remarks made on the 2017 General Election are allegedly meant to intimidate one group ahead of the polls,” said Mungathia.

He said a section of local leaders are operating as warlords, thereby fuelling the situation. “That is why we asked higher authorities to summon area leaders to shed light on what they know concerning these clashes,” he said.

Mandera County Commissioner Michael Tialal is of the same opinion, saying politics, boundary dispute and historical enmity have led to the region’s instability.

POLITICAL SUPREMACY

Tialal said political supremacy under the devolved governments had aggravated the sour relationship between the two warring clans since independence. “Besides the border dispute, there is political supremacy wars, especially in Mandera North constituency, where the majority Degodia, who believe the seat was unfairly awarded to a Garre, has ignited animosity,” said Tialal.

Tialal further explained that the Garre, who believe Mandera belongs to them want the Degodia clan to give way for their dominance. “Given these positions on land ownership, politics and livestock theft, the clans discord has perennially continued to exist, but seriously complicated by prevalence of illegal arms in the hands of residents,” he said. He said given its border with Ethiopia, it is difficult for police in Mandera to ensure calm prevails given that the clans’ rivalries would emanate from the neighbouring Ethiopia and quickly spread out.

“Some Kenyans often join their kin in tribal skirmishes in Ethiopia, and when they are killed, their bodies are brought back home for burial. This at times ignite tension,” said Tialal.

Local leaders concur with Tialal that politics has fuelled wars. Mandera County Executive for-Public Service, Conflict Management, Cohesion and Integration Ahmed Sheikh Moham says politics, land and border disputes between the two counties is a problem that has never been resolved by previous governments since 1960s.

He says the only way to resolve the fighting is for the National Government to conduct proper demarcation of boundaries between the two counties. “That would ensure a lasting solution. But at the moment, we will continue to scratch the surface when the real issue continues to gnaw,” said Sheikh.

Mohamed Robow, the Majority Leader in the Mandera County Assembly says the fighting started after the killing of the three men who were clearing the bush for a road construction in Kutulo, 10 kilometres in Mandera County, which provoked a retaliatory attack near Rhamu the town, where more than 50 militiamen ambushed a car and killed six people, among them a woman and a child.

Robow accused local leaders of heightening tension between the two clans when they transported 12 bodies of those killed in Gunana for burial at the cemetery in Wajir town.

“This was meant to excite anger among the Degodias, and their plans went perfectly well because after the burial, angry residents the following day went and burnt houses of Garre in Wakberi,leaving 5,000homeless,” said Robow.

“No leader from Wajir condemned the act. They are indifferent to the plights of these people,” said Robow.