As the dry winds swept across the vast desert landscape of Mandera on February 4, 2025, President William Ruto made a significant entrance, escorted by local dignitaries who eagerly awaited his arrival. The timbre of anticipation was palpable, especially with the burden of unresolved concerns hanging in the air. Would the five abducted Mandera chiefs see the light of freedom soon? President Ruto’s resolute promise echoed a commitment that although rare in articulation, resounded with heartfelt urgency.
Ruto, in a bid that stirred both hope and a tenacious resolve, pledged to intensify the battle against the malign forces of criminal gangs and terror. With his gaze fixed and voice steady, he declared his unequivocal instructions to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Gilbert Masengeli: leave no stone unturned.
“I have come with Masengeli here, and I have told him that we must dig deep, tread every path, whether east or west, this issue must be resolved,” Ruto clarified with conviction, his Swahili words layering the message with cultural authenticity.
Over the years, the haunting shadow of al-Shabaab has loomed large over Kenya. Yet, Ruto fervently reassured his audience of the tangible diminishment of this group’s capacity to sow chaos. Northern Kenya, which often feels like an outlier on the national map, is accorded equal importance in Ruto’s vision for safety and stability. How does one unravel the entwined motives of terror? How do thugs dare to dictate where a president might walk?
In an uncharacteristic moment of vulnerability combined with defiance, Ruto described the abduction as a futile attempt to stymie his visit to Mandera. “These fools thought that by doing so they could stop me from coming here. They are very foolish and mad,” he said. His unconventional language revealed the raw emotions of a leader standing amidst turbulence.
His commitment to Mandera was more than just ceremonial; it was deeply personal. “It is not that I have just come to Mandera,” Ruto said with emphasis, “I have come and will spend a night, and I can even extend it.” His words constructed a bridge between rhetoric and sincere engagement.
On the tumultuous road between Bamba Owla and Ires Suki, five chiefs met their fate in an unexpected ambush. The distressing news sent shockwaves not just through Mandera but throughout the country. Even as Ruto’s motorcade traverses these challenged terrains to Garissa and Wajir, the resolve remains undeterred. Elwak, the town where the chiefs vanished, stands on the periphery of two worlds: Kenya and Somalia, a boundary porous with mystery and threat.
Here, tradition assumes pragmatic dimensions. The strategy to liberate the captives involves enlisting community elders, seasoned mediators in moments of distress as this. An official intimately tied to the plan conveyed a grim reality: “Unless they are killed, which may not happen, we have to send elders to negotiate with their counterparts in Somalia for the release of the administrators.” The solution, though fraught with complexity, is laced with hope.
Meanwhile, operations have been launched in the area to mitigate any further adversity. The stakes are undeniably high, and the anticipation is boundless.
President Ruto did not walk this path alone; accompanying him were Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Mandera Governor Mohamed Khalif, and Cabinet Secretaries Aden Duale (Environment) and Eric Mugaa (Water), with several regional lawmakers lending their presence and voice. United in pursuit and hope, this collective seeks not only the release of the abducted chiefs but also a broader peace for the region.
Earlier in the day, Ruto had a stop at the Mandera Teachers’ Training College. There, he planted seeds of promise by committing to the development of infrastructure under the affordable housing program—a new building to home 500 students. Perhaps this is where the hope begins, in education, in empowerment, in the unyielding spirit of a nation’s leader dawning on Mandera’s endurance.
The winds carried the promises far across the arid land, but the real test remains—the liberation of the five chiefs and the broader peace in a region familiar with strife and courage. Will the whispers of peace outlast the echoes of despair? Only time will tell.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring
