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{
    "id": 566904,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/566904/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 270,
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    "content": "insecurity and fear. This incident happened around 1.00 a.m. The Government knows that these people are vulnerable and targeted by terrorists, yet that house that housed dozens of people from up country who were at risk, was not provided with security. We are actually informed by some of those people that they have, in fact, asked police officers to give them security in that place, because they knew that the moment terrorists know that over 100 Kenyans from upcountry who are not Muslims live in one place, they are likely to be targeted. They asked for security, but it was not provided to them. The only kind of security that was provided is the night patrols that pass occasionally and that is not enough. Mandera Township has over 600 security officers. We have the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), at Mandera Camp, barely 300 metres from Soko Mbuzi, where these people were slaughtered. It is a pity that not a single soldier came out of the camp even after all the shooting and explosion. In fact, the gunfire from the KPRs and the police ended up with some shots inside the camp. We also have the General Service Unit (GSU), Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) and regular police and many other security forces in that region, yet this incident still happened. We have also been informed by the Cabinet Secretary (CS) that there was no prior intelligence, when we know very well that Mandera has been heavily targeted by Al Shabaab. How does that happen? I have raised it before in this House. The last time this incident happened in Garissa I mentioned that in the whole county – a border county that is targeted by terrorists – there are about a dozen intelligent officers. How do you have less than a dozen intelligence officers in a town like that and then come before Kenyans and tell them, we did not have prior intelligence? That is a very serious statement. It is an indictment of a Government that really needs to wake up in terms of what it is doing to address insecurity in that part of the world. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, a few weeks ago we congratulated the KDF who managed to stop Al Shabaab from raiding their camp in Lamu County. Why is it that you can provide security in Lamu, Nairobi and Mombasa counties, but you cannot do so in the north eastern region? When this issue happened in Garissa, the President himself asked leaders from north eastern to think of a solution to the matter. We sat down for two weeks and came up with specific recommendations on what we thought would provide solutions. They were provided in writing to the President. To date, not more than one of those resolutions which is the appointment of a regional commissioner has been implemented. One of the things that we said was that because this problem is centred around Somalis, it can best be handled by people from that region. We specifically recommended to the Government that we get soldiers who come from that region. As I speak, 99 per cent of the 600 soldiers in those camps are from other parts of the country and they do not want to go out at night and take the risk. We also asked for 200 regular police officers and Administration Police (APs) officers – they are many – for each county and 300 KPRs who can work. All these things were agreed. Why is it that the Government is unable to implement resolutions which were agreed upon that would have saved the lives of people in that area? Why is it that the Government is unable to provide security? Today, the economy and education system in Mandera County has collapsed. The people in that county do not feel like they are in this country. How can you feel that you The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}