Billow Kerrow apologises over Mandera mass grave claims

What you need to know:

  • Mr Odinga challenged the government to tell Kenyans what caused Ms Musa’s death.
  • Mr Kerrow said there was a lot of anxiety in Mandera town due to disappearance of people.

Mandera leaders led by Senator Billow Kerrow have apologised over their claim of discovery of a mass grave in the county.

They regretted that their remarks at a press conference in Nairobi on Monday caused anxiety and panic among Kenyans.

Mr Kerrow said only one body was found at the site of the alleged mass grave.

"We came to Mandera following reports by some leaders here that some graves had been found. We have spent two days digging out the scene and we confirm that only one body was there. We regret the anxiety caused by the report we issued earlier,” said Mr Kerrow said.

The Senator was flanked by Governor Ali Roba, Mandera West MP Mohamud Mohamed, Lafey MP Isaack Shabaan, Abdulaziz Farah (Mandera East) and the county security team led by County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia.

Mr Kerrow said there is anxiety in Mandera town due to disappearance of people and asked security agencies to investigate the matter.

“Our message to government is that the security agents should use the normal channels to arrest people and take them to court. We want them to come in uniforms and if not, show their identifications before arresting people,” he said.

Mr Roba said called for cooperation between police and locals in the fight against insecurity.
He also called for investigations into the missing people claims.

“We want the security team to pursue the cases so that the gains we have made in encouraging the public to cooperate with police is not lost. This needs to be done for the war against terror to be won,” he said.

The leaders snubbed Cord leader Raila Odinga’s tour in Mandera. Mr Odinga travelled to Mandera on Wednesday to visit the family of Isnina Musa Sheikh whose body was found in a shallow grave on Sunday.

Mr Odinga challenged the government to tell Kenyans what caused Ms Musa’s death.

“The government has to come out clear and tell us who killed and buried mama Isnina so that her soul can rest in peace,” said Mr Odinga.

On Monday, more than 10 lawmakers from northern Kenya accused the Kenya Defence Forces of extrajudicial killings following allegations of the discovery of the mass grave.

Mr Kerrow said they had evidence that most of the people who have disappeared in the past three years had been picked up by KDF soldiers in unmarked cars and driven into military camps, never to be seen again.

On Wednesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery said the woman had been a cook for the Al-Shabaab in Somalia.