Garissa communities call for urgent intervention over growing tensions in Raaskambooni
They also called on President Ruto to intervene urgently, fearing the tensions could trigger an influx of refugees into Kenya.
Border communities in Garissa County have raised concerns over growing tensions between Jubaland's regional government and Somalia's Federal Government in the Raaskambooni area along the Kenya-Somalia border.
Speaking at a Garissa hotel on Friday, community elders, youth leaders, and peace committees urged the government to address the situation to safeguard regional stability.
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They also called on President Ruto to intervene urgently, fearing the tensions could trigger an influx of refugees into Kenya.
Osman Ibrahim, community elder and the Dadaab sub-county peace committee chairman called for the need to find a lasting solution to the tension escalated by the re-election of the Jubaland leader Ahmed Mohamed Islam.
"The ongoing tension is very unfortunate, Somalia needs to learn from the past endless instability that forced thousands of refugees to flee their country for safety. To date, Kenya hosts refugees from Somalia whom we expect they will one day return. The current tension is likely to escalate. Kenya invested a lot for the peacekeeping mission in Jubaland, we don't expect war at a time when the Kenyan forces were ending their mandate," he said.
He urged President William Ruto to intervene and reconcile the two levels of government that were likely to engage in violence.
"As communities living along the border and hosting the refugees, we have in the past witnessed how instability in Somalia had a spiral effect on the Kenyan side, we call for peaceful talks between Jubaland and the Federal Government," he said.
Dekow Mohamed a nominated MCA in Garissa County and resident of the Liboi border town said the Kenyan communities along the Kenyan-Somalia border are worried over the building tension that could likely lead to a spillover on the Kenyan territory.
Border communities in Garissa County during a press briefing over growing tensions between Jubaland's regional government and Somalia's Federal Government on December 6, 2024. (Photo Issa Hussein)
"We want President Ruto to intervene to end the deep division over the regional autonomy and election protocols that was threatening the stability of Jubaland region and its neighbouring Kenyan territory," he appealed.
He said the Federal Government deployed its elite troops at Raaskambooni, a strategic town that neighbours the Hulugho sub-county in Kenya and Jubaland vowed to engage these troops in a fierce firefight, escalating fears of violence in the region.
He stated that it was high time to intervene and resolve this simmering tension.
Bishar Gure a former councillor said the neighbouring community in Garissa county were not ready to host more refugees since they were already grappling with environmental destruction and more challenges by the refugees hosted for more than 30 years.
Many speakers who spoke called on the Kenyan Government to embark on peace talks.
The building tension lies in the contentious reelection of the Jubaland President popularly known as Ahmed Madobe on November 25, after he secured his third term after the Jubaland parliament abolished the term limit earlier this year.
The Federal Government of Somalia refused to recognise the results saying the president had a two-term limit.
The dispute further stems from a disagreement over Somalia's electoral framework, where the National Consultative Council which serves as a platform for both levels of the Somalia Government agreed to adopt a one-person, one-vote system for the 2025 elections.
Puntaland and Jubaland dismissed the introduced voting system accusing the Federal Government headed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of introducing electoral reform as a pretext to consolidate power.
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