Boni community honours KDF

Lamu Governor Fahim Twaha speaking during Mashujaa Day celebrations at Mkunguni Square on October 20, 2017. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The Boni community in Lamu on Friday celebrated Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers and officers from the National Police Service as their heroes on Mashujaa Day.

Members of the community living in Bar’goni, Pandanguo, Basuba, Milimani, Mararani, Mangai and Kiangwe areas said they are grateful to the security personnel especially for the operation in Boni Forest to flush out the Al-Shabaab.

The operation, they said, has restored security in the area.

OPERATION

The Linda Boni operation was launched in September 2015 but was recently changed to Boni Enclave Campaign.

The community said they were happy for the dedicated efforts by the security agencies to ensure peace and stability in the region.

“We can confidently say that the KDF soldiers and the police, particularly those conducting the Operation Linda Boni are our great heroes,” said Mr Dukicha Guyo of Mararani village.

Mr Doza Diza said since the KDF were deployed to the county, terror attacks and general incidents of insecurity had reduced.

AL-SHABAAB

“We have a reason to celebrate our soldiers. They fight with the enemy and stop them from reaching here to harm us. Many of them die doing so. There are our heroes,” said Mr Diza.

Al-Shabaab militants in June 2014 attacked Mpeketoni town, Kibaoni and Witu that left over 90 people dead and property worth millions destroyed.

The attack prompted the launch of the Linda Boni operation, whose major objective was to flush out the militants said to be hiding inside the Boni Forest.