Stone-throwing goons try to disrupt TNA peace rally

By Boniface Ongeri

Police in Mandera town were forced to use teargas and shoot in the air to disperse goons who attempted to disrupt a peace rally.

The rally was organised by aspirants for the various Mandera County seats on a TNA party ticket.

Led by Mandera East MP Mohammed Hussein Ali and an aspirant for the governor position Abdikadir Adan Chitto, the entourage had barely begun the rally at the Mandera bus park when a group of unruly women began to shout.

Police had to use exceptional restraint to subdue the stone-throwing group. However, the rally went on and the leaders called for a peaceful campaign in the lead up to the next polls.

Also in the entourage were Bashir Hajji Abdullahi, a parliamentary aspirant for Mandera North Constituency, Hussein Mohammed Weytan for senator and Ubah Abdi Gedi for Women representative.

The leaders called for tolerance and said they had decided to rally for peace and unity because the county is volatile to clan clashes fuelled by bad politics. “We call for mature and issue based politics. The county lags behind because of tribalism and it is high time this came to an end, especially if the county governments are to make headway,” said Chitto.

During the rally, the leaders also said TNA had formed a formidable dream team to spur the county’s social and economic development.

“We are committed to steer the county to development and the team we have formed has a master plan that will propel the county,” Ali said. During the rally, at least two people were arrested but were later released.