DAADAB MP Mohamed Dualle at the weekend said the closure of the Kenya-Somali border has increased insecurity in Garissa town. Speaking in Garissa Dualle urged the government to consider re-opening the border.

“Currently, it’s said that the border is closed there is still a lot of movements going on via illegal crossings along the border,” he said. The Kenyan government decided in early 2012 to close the Kenya-Somali border following a series of incidences and attacks blamed on the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabab militants who were crossing over into the country from their bases in Somalia.

Dualle said that the closure of the border was fueling the trade in contraband sugar and other materials which has now been blamed for fuelling attacks targeting government personnel.

“Scrupulous businessmen engaging in these contraband trade have recruited armed bandits to offer protection to their lorries and goods,” Dualle said adding that “we also do not know which other goods are carried by these truckers into the country from Somalia”.

The legislator also said that the reopening of the border would make the government maximize the use of Sh.180 million border point facilities at Liboi which now lies derelict and allow the KRA to collect revenue from those importing goods from Somalia a trade which is said would bring in millions to the national treasury.

The legislator also criticized the government for cracking the whip on chiefs in the region resulting in a number of them getting interdicted.

“The chiefs have no capacity to apprehend or investigate these people so it’s unfair to say they are the people behind the smugglers,” he said adding that “it’s the security personnelcorrupt security personnel were to blame”.

The affected administrators are chiefs for Garissa township and Dagahaley, kulan senior chief, Dertu and liboi’s chiefs and their assistants.

Garissa town has experienced a series of attacks that have led to the death of hundreds of people including security personnel, government officials and civilians

Source:- Nairobi Star

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