Mandera county commissioner Fredrick Shisia in his office. He has urged non-locals not to board Mandera buses. [Photo/nation.co.ke]
Mandera county commissioner Fredrick Shisia has urged non-residents of Mandera to avoid the road transport but instead opt for air travels.
Mr. Shisia said Al-Shabaab militants are always targeting non-locals and security agents on the roads.
The county commissioner, however, denied that the government was discriminating against some Kenyans by asking non-locals, not to uses buses and letting locals travel through the terror hotspots.
He cautioned that the Government is not able to make sure that the travelers are safe and secure urging non-locals to use air travels.
Mr. Shisia further said that the government cannot risk the lives of police officers by putting them on the road without the customised vehicles.
“The target of Al-Shabaab is non-locals and security officers in Mandera and we cannot risk putting police on the road without the customised vehicles. We cannot also risk lives of non-locals on these buses too,” said Mr. Shisia.
Two police vehicles were last week burnt and the county commissioner has advised road users to use the Mandera-Takaba-Moyale route instead of the Elwak route before the two police vehicles are replaced.
Bus services plying the Mandera/Nairobi route resumed on Saturday after a week-long suspension due to terror threats.