Saturday August 30, 2025
FILE PHOTO — Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif addresses reporters during a past briefing in Mandera. Khalif has demanded the withdrawal of Jubaland troops allegedly stationed inside the county, warning their presence threatens Kenya’s sovereignty and endangers residents.
NAIROBI, Kenya (HOL) — Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif has demanded the immediate withdrawal of Jubaland troops allegedly operating inside the county, warning their presence threatens Kenya’s sovereignty and that residents may act if the government does not intervene.
Speaking Friday at a public event, Khalif said the forces had established a camp at BP1 Primary School in Mandera Town, forcing its closure and displacing pupils preparing for national exams.
“Mandera cannot be turned into a battleground for Somalia. We have no interest in Somalia except peace. If the forces are not removed immediately, we will take action ourselves,” Khalif said.
The governor accused the Kenya Defence Forces of backing Jubaland units and urged Defence Cabinet Secretary Roselinda Tuya to step in. He also warned Ethiopia against using Mandera as a staging ground for operations linked to Somalia.
“You cannot close schools, farms and water supplies in the name of supporting a faction in Somalia. We are also telling our Ethiopian neighbors not to use Mandera Town as a support base. There are many other border entries,” he added.
Mandera Woman Representative Umulkheir Kassim backed the governor, condemning the conversion of a school into what she called a “militia training ground.” She warned the presence of Jubaland fighters had already sparked panic and displacement, especially among women and children.
Senator Ali Roba also raised concern, writing on X that “fear and anxiety rocked Mandera residents as stray bullets and rockets hit our soil. This is no way for Kenyan citizens to live.”
Jubaland Vice President Mohamed Sayid denied the allegations earlier this month, insisting its forces remain confined to the border region shared with Kenya.
Jubaland forces, also known as the Darawiish, are the security arm of the Jubaland administration based in Kismayo, Somalia. Formed from the Ras Kamboni movement led by Ahmed Madobe, they have served both as a counter-terrorism unit against al-Shabaab and as a regional army advancing Jubaland’s autonomy.
Kenya has long supported Jubaland as a buffer against al-Shabaab, but the policy has stirred growing controversy at home. Critics warn it risks dragging Mandera into Somalia’s internal conflicts, undermining both sovereignty and civilian safety in the border region where Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia converge.