A section of elders from Garissa have once again come to strongly express their concerns over the political intrigues in Somalia ahead of the general election slated for 8th February.
The last few months have witnessed heightened political temperatures in Somalia with Kenyan elders and leaders claiming that the leadership in Somalia are trying to drag Kenya into their internal affairs.
Addressing the press on Wednesday at a hotel, the elders led by Mohamed Abdi alias Emma said as neighbors they were concerned that any slight utterances by the leadership could trigger war that will definitely have a spill over effect into Kenya.
“We have seen all the signs of the country returning back to the early 1990 that saw the collapse of the siyab Barre led government. The end result that was witnessed then was us having to host thousands of refugees. If the issues are not urgently addressed then we are likely to witness the same,” said Emma.
Mid last month, Somalia severed diplomatic ties with Kenya, accusing it of violating Somali sovereignty and meddling in its internal affairs before the general election.
In a televised broadcast, the Information Minister Osman Dubbe said Somalia had ordered all its diplomats in Kenya to return, while Kenyan diplomats in Somalia were ordered to leave within 7 days.
“Kenya continues meddling in our internal political affairs and it has ignored our previous calls to stop violating our sovereignty,” Dubbe announced on state-run SNTV.
A week later, Somalia claimed that Kenya has been mobilizing its troops as well as arming militia to attack Somalia security installations.
These coupled their internal political squabbles where the many clans have been jostling for power there by threatening the fragile security currently being enjoyed.
Kenya has been hosting more than 500,00o Somali refugees at the Dadaab refugee complex for the past 3 decades. however the government of Kenya and Somalia together with UNHCR signed a tripartite agreement on November for the voluntary repatriation of Somali refuges.
Since then UNHCR has been supporting return of the Somali refugees that has seen the number of refugees shrink to less that 300,000 and closure of at least two camps and claiming down of operations by UN agencies.
Emma said that it was in the public domain that Somalis from Kenya have relatives across the boarder and have keenly been following the politics ahead of the elections and all indications are that there could be civil war after the elections.
On his part Mzee Dekhow Mohamed alias Digdig said that contrary to claims that Kenya was interfering with the affairs of juba land, Kenya has always been neutral and supported Somalia to ensure that there is stability.
He said the leadership of Somalia should solve their problems and stop dragging Kenya into their internal affairs.
The incumbent Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed alias Farmajo, has been in office since the February 2017 election. In January 2019, former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed announced his candidacy for the election, citing the “inability of the current leadership to restore peace and security” against Al Shabaab militants who at that time still controlled large rural regions of the country. He formed a political party for the election, Himilo Qaran (National Vision)