A statement by North Eastern Regional Commissioner Nicodemus Ndalana claiming that Garissa residents are assisting Al-Shabaab militants has angered members of the Garissa County Assembly.
The MCAs led by Damajaley MCA Diriye Bare said the government is profiling locals yet they are the ones who are working with security agencies to share intelligence.
The MCAs said they were disappointed by Ndalana’s statement who on Monday claimed locals are assisting the militants to carry out attacks.
Ndalana who was reacting to recent attack in Garissa that left three teachers dead said its impossible for the militants to travel over 100 kilometres form the border to Kamuthe to attack without the locals knowing.
Bare said the locals are the ones who suffer from the attacks since the attacks by the Al-Shabaab has affected various sector that include health and education.
Speaking to the press at the County Assembly compound Bare urged Garissa Governor Ali Korane to call an urgent meeting to address insecurity following the recent terror attacks.
“We challenge the government to act on intelligence given by the locals because they have been providing timely information instead of profiling them in the face of terror activities,” said Bare.
“As local leaders we request the county government to come up with localized mechanism to contain the runaway insecurity that is threatening to cripple the education sector,” he added.
Hulugho Ward MCA Adow Omar on his part said education in Garissa has been affected after the recent attacks adding that local students with lower grades should be allowed to enroll in teachers colleges to address the shortage after non-local teachers left Garissa.
“Some of those students would have helped in situations like this. The government must stop blaming locals on matters of security and enhance their surveillance,” pleaded Omar.