Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs during a past function. PHOTO/PRINT
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In a resolute and somewhat complex maneuver, Kenya has decided to send Somali elders to their homeland to negotiate the release of four Chiefs and an Assistant Chief. These officials, entrusted with great responsibility, were tragically abducted by Al-Shabaab militants in the heart of Elwak, Mandera County.
One might ask, why such a delicate approach? The truth lies in the intricacies of ensuring their safe return. Despite a joint security operation being initiated by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), officials are convinced that negotiating through elders offers the most promising chance for their freedom.
An insider remarked, “Unless a grim fate befalls them, which is unlikely, we are compelled to send elders to parley with their Somali counterparts for the release of our people.”
The names of these abducted National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) reverberate with authority: Hassan Kulmia from Wargadud East, Mohamed Hache from Chachabole, Adaw Mohamed of Wargadud Town, Abdi Suraw from Quramathow, and Ibrahim Gabow, the Assistant Chief of Wargadud East sub-location. These individuals, symbols of order in their communities, now find themselves caught in uncertain circumstances.
The poignant notion of elders stepping forward to negotiate reminds us of the delicate balance between warfare and aged wisdom. Who else but the elders—keepers of peace in tumultuous times—can navigate this quagmire?
Compounding the urgency of the situation, President William Ruto is slated to visit the northern region this week. His itinerary includes holding a pivotal Cabinet meeting in Garissa County, interspersed with visits to various counties including Isiolo, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa.
Unfortunately, the shadow of past violence looms heavily. Less than a year ago, Al-Shabaab militants mercilessly shot and killed a Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer in Mandera’s Lafey area. They commandeered a vehicle for their hasty escape, discarding the officer’s lifeless body as they fled into Somalia.
A bystander, Muhumed Bashir, found himself snatched by these gunmen. Days later, he was discovered amidst the thorny bushes, life clinging to his battered body. Stray bullets wounded several others near the Lafey police post, embodying chaos and fear that seems omnipresent in these fraught lands.
Reflecting on these bitter incidents, the desolation of two policemen presumed dead after being missing for over eight years is heart-wrenching. Constable Kevin Ng’eno Kiprotich and Job Kiptoo Kimeli vanished following a brutal attack on their station; their whereabouts remain a sorrowful mystery.
Despite the dangerous enterprise, the resolution to send the elders resonates with a sense of hope. Could their wisdom bridge a path to peace and freedom?
Yet, several counties—Mandera, Wajir, Garissa—remain corners of unease along the volatile border. Al-Shabaab’s threat hovers menacingly, like a specter reminding of past and potential violence.
The Evidence Act, section 118A, offers a bleak legal perspective: a person unheard from for seven years is presumed deceased. Such grim presumptions add gravity to the efforts aimed at ditching abductions and fatalities into the annals of history.
The challenges posed by these encounters with Al-Shabaab provoke introspection. How does one create safety in a land where uncertainty tethers hopes? An anecdote comes to mind: an elder once said, “In our age, when words wield more power than weapons, talk wisely to foster peace.”
The expedition of these elders is emblematic of this ethos, as they step into the chasm, their words paving potential paths toward redemption and reconciliation.
