How boy ditched big dreams in IT to join Al Shabaab in Somalia

The scene of a terror attack at Ambassador Hotel, after a car bomb exploded on June 1, in Mogadishu, Somalia for which al Shabaab claimed responsibility. 30-year-old Abdulaziz, born Jared Mokaya Omambia, ditched big dreams in IT to join Al Shabaab in Somalia. (PHOTO: COURTESY/ AFP)

Jared Mokaya Omambia had big dreams, just like any other child.

Mokaya’s eyes were set on Information Technology, so much so that he could not have a conversation without IT coming up.

Everything seemed to be falling into place for the man described as calm and quiet when he joined Moi University to pursue a degree in Information Science. Just a few years and he would be living his childhood dream.

When he completed his undergraduate studies, Jared joined the Immigration head office in Nairobi in 2012 as an intern, his brother James says.

But this IT guru-in-waiting surprised many, including his family, when he converted to Islam three years ago and henceforth became Abdulaziz.

His father, Enock Omambia, says the move raised eyebrows within the family but there were no immediate tell-tale signs that there were ulterior motives. Since the Constitution gives him the right of worship and association, they let him be. Little did they know that everything would go south after that. In 2014, Abdulaziz was arrested in Isebania after allegedly calling his friends ‘kafir’. Muslims use this term to refer to a person or society that has read and rejected the message of the Holy Qur’an.

Kafir saga

He was released on a Sh10,000 bond and ordered to be reporting to Isebania police station every month. Police were not about to take the kafir saga lightly, so they started investigations immediately. Later that year Abdulaziz disappeared.

Nothing could have prepared his family, which initially lived in Cheptiret, Uasin Gishu County before relocating to Kisii, for this and what was to come later.

“He disappeared from home in 2014 and we were unsettled because he did not inform us about his unexpected travel, which then prompted me to report the incident at the police station so that they could help in tracing him,” his father, a veterinary officer, says. Police had no leads and his family had no idea where he was. Hope of finding him was fading fast. But on May 22 this year, hope was restored when Abdulaziz called his father. But the call raised more questions than it provided answers as it ended abruptly. 

“Jared asked me how we were faring but did not disclose his whereabouts. His mobile phone number was not registered under the Kenyan network. Attempts to call back were futile as his phone remained off,” Mr Omambia recalls.

As fate would have it, this is the last time Omambia would talk to his second-born son.

His father was perturbed so he shared his phone number with the Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) based in Eldoret after learning that his son was calling from Somalia.

“The phone network was from Somalia but how and when our son made friends there is something we are still coming to terms with,” said the father of three.

A parent’s worst nightmare was confirmed - Abdulaziz had ditched his IT dream for Al Shabaab. And had travelled to Somalia to join other fighters. 

Government amnesty

From here one could only expect the worst — Abdulaziz would die in the battlefield felled by Amisom troops. And in the best case scenario he would take advantage of the Government amnesty and come home.

But Abdulaziz’s story had one final twist. Abdulaziz, 30, and Abdul Majid Faraj, 22, were beheaded by Al Shabaab on suspicion of spying for Kenyan security agencies.

Police believe he may have been unhappy in Somalia and could have attempted to come back home.

His younger brother, James, described him as hard-worker.

“The news of his beheading has put our family in disarray. It is sad that he never confided in us what he was up to,” he says.

His father says: “He never told us anything about his association with the terror group. He kept away from home.”

James asked the Government to assist them in negotiating with Somalia officials so that Abdulaziz’s body could be brought home for burial.

“The presence of our brother’s body in Somalia is worrying. It will be a reprieve for us if we get it for burial so that we have closure,” he says.