Mandera curfew varied over Ramadhan period

 

A curfew imposed in Mandera County in October last year has been varied until the end of the Holy month of Ramadhan.

This comes less than a week after Deputy President William Ruto visited the area and told a rally the government will lift the curfew to enable them observe the period.

But the variation of the conditions is not clear.

On May 26, Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery issued a special gazette notice saying the curfew orders imposed had been varied to the extent that the variation order will commence on May 26, 2017 and extend for the Ramadhan period.

“The variation order shall also apply to fishermen in Lamu County who will be allowed to fish at night,” said Nkaissery.

He ordered security agencies to boost their operations in the areas even as he asked for cooperation from locals.

It came two days after five officers in Governor Ali Roba’s convoy were killed when their Land Cruiser ran over an Improvised Explosive Device between Arabia and Lafey in Mandera.

The dusk-to-dawn curfew on Mandera County and Lamu County was aimed at taming terror threats and attacks.

In Mandera, towns affected by the regulation requiring people to remain indoors between 7pm and 5am include Mandera Town, Omar Jillo, Arabia, Fino, Lafey Kotulo, Elwak and the environs extending to 20 kilometers from the Kenya-Somalia border.

“Every person who resides within the Sub-County shall except under, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of a written permit granted by the respective Deputy County Commissioner for the affected areas, remain indoors in the premises at which they reside or at such other premises as may be authorized,” Nkaissery ordered.

The curfew, according to the order made in accordance to Section 8 (1) of the Public Order Act by the minister will last for 90 days, ending June 28, 2017.

Under the Curfew Order, no gathering or procession should have more than five persons without authorization of the County Police Commander.

The order also bans possession, carrying or display in public of offensive weapons by any person who has no lawful or legal reason to have such weapons.

The curfew was first imposed after four terrorists raided Garissa University College on April 2, 2015 and killed 148 people including 142 students.

Locals have been complaining the curfew was badly affecting their operations and life. They say they have lost much since the curfew was imposed.

Since then, there have been heightened security operations and more security personnel have been deployed there.

But the Al-shabaab terror group has defied the operations and attacked several institutions there destroying property in the period.