Mandera Rebuilding its Roads Network

Two years of intensive work on roads is paying dividend with benefits accruing especially for the transport sector in Mandera. Journey time for people and goods has been cut by up to 75 per cent in some instances. Ease of transport impacts all sectors in the County. More importantly, it elevates the quality of life, says Governor Roba.

“With motorable roads, the sick can get health care in a relatively timely manner while the farmers can get their produce to market faster. Services can get to the people faster just as security management would stand a better chance to being more responsive,” said Mr Roba. The County Government has moved to upgrade all the inter-constituency roads to all weather murram roads. Already, a total of 577 kilometres of dirt roads have been completely upgraded to all-weather murram roads. In Mandera town, a 24.5 kilometre stretch of road is currently being tarmacked, the first ever in the County. A total of 12 inter constituency roads are now all weather and gravelling in 152 kilometres of inter-ward roads is now complete.

The County Executive Committee member for Roads, Public Works and Transport Ethila Mohamud Issak explains that her department has established a Transport Management System TMS to improve movement of people and goods. Her ministry has completed the design of a 55-kilometre section on the B9 road (Kutulo - Elwak) and signed an MOU with KeNHA.

The ministry has also secured of all road camps in the County through construction of permanent fences and acquiring of all properties related to the Ministry. On air transport, the ESIA, feasibility studies and designing of the Mandera International Airport (MIA) has been completed. In addition, the assessment of all aerodromes in the County for safety and other related factors has been completed. The closure and planned relocation of Elwak Airtrip, Banisa and Rhamu are at an advanced stage.

Meanwhile, Mandera Town is registering unprecedented reconstruction as the city centre relocates. The new town centre is away from the current location, which is close to the borders with Somali and Ethiopia and has little space for expansion. New roads are being built as old ones are graded. A Five Star hotel is under construction as well as the Governor’s official residence and a stadium.

A section of an all weather road connecting Lafey to Elwak

Governor Captain Ali Roba says the county inherited virtually nothing from the National Government when they came into office, and it was challenging to get office space for himself, the County Executive members and the staff. “Mandera was a victim of systematic marginalisation for over five decades by successive regimes and devolution has just opened fresh doors for us. We are struggling to be at par with other counties, which did not face similar challenges,” Roba says. Governor Roba holds that Mandera is a County of unlimited opportunities and endless possibilities, and believes in investing right to unleash this potential by providing a dependable and sustainable infrastructural base.

“Our mission is to improve lives. We will make it easier to reach hospitals and easier to reach international markets. Getting this infrastructure right will spur all other sectors into excellence,” he says. What previously passed for a shanty township with ‘manyattas’ as dwelling places for a largely pastoralist population is now revelling in some of the best-designed buildings. “We want to have modern buildings too so that we can attract the best workforce from locals as well as people from other counties. We can only do that when we make them comfortable,” says County Executive for Roads, Public Works and transport Ms. Ethila Mohamud Isaak. “We want to have modern buildings too so that we can attract the best workforce from locals as well as people from other counties.

We can only do that when we make them comfortable,” she adds. The minister says Mandera is starting from a very low infrastructural base, and most resources need to go to development including facilities like offices, which were literally absent.

GENDER AND HEALTH IN FOCUS DURING SWEDISH VISIT TO MANDERA.

Swedish Ambassador to Kenya Mr. Johan Borgstam on October 13 visited Mandera County to participate at the launch of Mandera  Community Life Center Public Private Partnership. The visit was organized by United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) and lead by the UNFPA Representative to Kenya Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee. The visiting delegation with representatives from the government of Kenya, the diplomatic community, UN agencies, NGO's and private companies engaged in the setting up of the first Community  Life  Center was received by  H.E. the Governor of Mandera Mr. Ali  Roba and honorable members representing Mandera County in  Kenya’s National Parliament. 

 

“I am proud to be able to visit Mandera County and through our  Swedish support to UNFPA take part in the development here. Sweden funds 20 per cent of UNFPA's global budget. I am impressed with the progress  made  within the  health sector in Mandera  since  the devolution  process started in Kenya but more needs  to be done”,  ambassador Borgstam said during the discussion.

The roundtable discussion with stakeholders from the health sector in Mandera County and the visiting delegation focused on the challenges within the health sector and innovative ways to improve the primary health care in the county.  The link between women’s empowerment and economic growth was emphasized during the discussions. Ambassador Borgstam underlined the need to focus and improve the situation for maternal health, gender equality and women’s empowerment in order for Mandera County to use its full development potential.

“A community can only reach its full potential by involving the whole population in its social and economic life. This is something Mandera County can use to its benefit and set a positive example for the rest  of  Kenya. Fighting harmful traditions such as female genital mutilation, making sure that both girls and boys get proper education and ensuring female participation at all levels of political decision making are all key objectives in securing development and growth”, said ambassador Borgstam. UNFPA Country Representative Siddharth Chatterjee strongly emphasized the crucial role of functioning health service for expectant mothers:

“Investing in maternal health services is key to reaping the demographic dividend in Mandera”, said Siddharth Chatterjee.

Background
Mandera County borders Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the east. Driving distance between Mandera and Nairobi is more than 1 000 kilometres. Mandera County faces substantial challenges, not least in the health sector. Maternal mortality is currently close to 4 deaths per 100 births, which is exceptionally high by international standards. The county has 11 million inhabitants and nine medical doctors. Nevertheless important progress has been achieved over the last two  years.  The visit included a presentation of Mandera  County Referral Hospital which has seen a substantial increase in capacity to handle both in- and out patients.

Championing a Mandera Free Of Security Threats

“We have endured and survived the greatest challenges of our time and managed to perform fairly well under extreme conditions. The World Bank report put Mandera in the top 14 counties despite difficult circumstances. We know we can do better if we are free of internal security challenges and terror threats.”- Governor Capt. Ali Roba.

If there are counties whose people have demonstrated resilience, Mandera is among those at the very top. The county has endured security threats from occasional clan rivalries and terror attacks by Al-Shabab militants. Still, it has stayed on course with its development agenda. Working in collaboration with National Cohesion and Integration Commission, Mandera County Government has championed stakeholder meetings and conflict impact assessments in its resolve to strike lasting peace in the area.

The peace meetings have not only entailed integrated participation of the council of elders, youth and women, but have also embraced cross-border linkages with neighbouring Ethiopia and Somalia. “We have endured and survived the greatest challenges of our time and managed to perform fairly well under extreme conditions. The World Bank report put Mandera in the top 14 counties despite difficult circumstances. We know we can do better if we are free of security challenges,” Mandera County Governor Ali Roba says. He continues: “There are moments in the lives of nations and its people when it is incumbent upon those in leadership with clarity of vision to survey the problem with all its complexities and vain memories in a bold drive toward new horizons.Such moments are now for us in Mandera.” 

Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow confirms that leaders in Mandera back the peace building efforts, saying: ”As leaders, we are committed to the process. Insha Allah, the people of this region will ultimately reconcile and live in peace.” The County leadership has been on a campaign mode to make Mandera an island of peace after a history of clan clashes that previously turned villages into killing fields. The dream has been to have officials of Mandera County Government stand together to strengthen security amid challenges including the terror thereat from across the border with particularly Somalia. Governor Roba says: “We have fulfilled our promise to deal with the tribal clashes and the insecurity in our county firmly. I am happy to report that the security situation is at its best despite isolated incidents of terror attacks.”

One of the women security officers' in the county

The situation is stabilising around the county, and today, there is a more secure Mandera town. “This County Government cannot fail to work because of insecurity caused by a few selfish individuals,” declares Governor Roba. “We will take all measures to make sure the dream of developing Mandera County and making it an attractive investment destination is not hindered by insecurity.” The Governor continues: “As a County, we have scaled new heights in the area of security. We inherited a burning county, but we have managed to neutralise many acts of violence with the support of our leaders from the county.

“Our clans now co-exist peacefully. In this regard, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the National Government for the support they have provided us and the local security team in Mandera for rising to the occasion to secure our County. I also thank our leaders, both elected and local leadership, as well as the COE, who were very instrumental to the achievement of this result."

The chairperson of the Mandera County Public Service Mr Abdi-Nur Hussein, says the County has hired 200 enforcement officers, who were offered paramilitary training at the National Youth Service.

The minister in-charge of conflict resolution, cohesion and integration, Mr Ahmed Sheikh, says a genuine quest for peaceful ways to dealing with conflict amongst rival clans has gone a long way in also allowing for effective security management. “Before the County Government came into being, Mandera got its fair share of violence from across the border. Foreign fighters infiltrated the clan militia. Their agenda was not to support one clan against the other but to use the violence as a shadow for a bigger mission of disrupting county/national security. We had to come up

with a county security strategy to address short and long-term issues,” says Mr Sheikh.

 

County enforcement officers during a guard of honour

Governor Ali Roba with County security officers

The minister says mediation, especially through elders and key opinion leaders, has seen the resettlement of 80 per cent of IDPs, 48 reconciliation meetings, 35 dialogue meetings and 25 Rapid response initiatives. The county Government has also revived Traditional Justice System (TJS) in the form of Council of Elders (COEs). The COEs are now present in all the six sub-counties. They handle day-to-day intra and inter clan disputes. To support the work of the COEs, the Garreh and Degodia clans elected committee members composed of 15 elders to spearhead the implementation of the peace accord.