Governor Roba had warned of imminent attack

Saturday's dawn massacre of 28 people in a Nairobi-bound bus by armed gunmen in Mandera County came barely two weeks after local leaders warned of an impending attack in the country by Al-Shabaab militants.

Citing intelligence reports, Mandera Governor Ali Roba said he had information the militants were crossing into the country from Somalia with the aim of committing terrorist acts.  

He accused police of downplaying attacks in the county over the past 40 days instead of taking firm measures to contain them.

“Judging from the terror incidents in Mandera over the last 40 days … there have been 10 attacks (and) there’s no doubt terror cells in Somalia have sneaked into the country. It is, however, unfortunate that police in Mandera are downplaying the situation,” Mr Roba had warned.

He said intelligence reports indicated Al-Shabaab militants were moving towards the Kenya/Somalia border and that “it is only a matter of time before they start moving to other parts of the country.”

Mr Roba’s worries could be justified as most of the suspects involved in earlier major attacks in the country were said to have entered the country through Mandera.

TWIN EXPLOSION
Two of the terrorists involved in the 1998 bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi were said to have entered the country through Mandera. One of them was later killed in Somalia.

Two of the suspects involved in last year’s Westgate Mall raid were also traced to have crossed into Kenya through Mandera with one having lived there for a week before heading to Nairobi.

A similar number of suspects caught with a vehicle filled with explosives were also found to have used Mandera as the entry point into the country with one having gone to school there, Mr Roba said.

“They were said to have been with the vehicle in Mandera for a week before proceeding to Mombasa. The owner of the vehicle found with explosives in Pangani, Nairobi, was also reported to be from Mandera.

That is why it is wrong for anybody to downplay incidents of terror in Mandera as small issues when they have been given responsibility to manage security,” Mr Roba said.

He singled out the claim by Mandera County police commander Noah Mwivanda that twin explosions that rocked the town three days ago were due to business rivalry.

“Police are clueless who is behind the incidents and only issue statements to cover their incompetence instead of dealing with the situation. This is an issue of great concern for the security of the nation as Mandera is the access gate of most of the incidents that have occurred in the country,” Mr Roba said.

TAKE ACTION
He added: “It is safe for police to say they have no clue who the attackers are or their motives rather than downplay the issue and put the rest of the country to sleep.”

He said the intensity and frequency of the explosions in Mandera call for the country to be put on the alert and action taken.

“The attacks are increasing by the day. The local network of intelligence show there’s increased movement of Al-Shabaab along the borders of Mandera with the intention to enter the country and cause havoc. Only God knows what will happen if they enter,” the governor added.

Mr Roba called for quick action by the national government to give the threats the attention they deserve and deploy intelligence officers to his county.

“It doesn’t matter whether those behind the terror in Mandera are locals or foreigners. Terror is terror and should be dealt with firmly. Whether they are locals or foreigners the degree and magnitude of response cannot be understated.

I am greatly concerned with increased insecurity in Mandera. It’s only a matter of time before they move to the rest of the country,” Mr Roba said.

PROBE THE ATTACK
He said security officials should find out who is behind the attacks, the sources of their explosives and individuals funding them.

On Wednesday, two people were injured in explosions at a road construction site near Rhamu bridge in Mandera.

Mandera town has experienced explosions in the recent past especially on the road near Rhamu bridge that is under construction.

A month ago, Mr Roba escaped unhurt after a powerful device exploded as his motorcade passed.

In April 2014, armed people shelled the Mandera county government offices, causing extensive damage on one side of the building.

The unidentified heavily armed attackers fired several mortar-propelled grenades at the building, but nobody was hurt as it was early in the day, and none of the workers had reported for work.