Eight months after construction of the Kenya-Somalia anti-terror wall was announced, virtually no progress has been made.
Mandera leaders said on Wednesday there is a lot of tension in Northeastern, especially along the Somalia border.
Since the two governments have not agreed on the way forward, the NYS staff, deployed to build the wall, were recalled.
Kenya announced construction of an 860km buffer consisting of walls, electrified fences, ditches and barriers, as well as CCTV cameras and foot and aerial patrols.
It is to stretch from the Mandera border post to Kiunga Island in Lamu.
The government has not estimated the cost, but one unofficial estimate places the cost at Sh20 billion, another at Sh203 million a kilometre.
Mandera county assembly speaker Abdikadir Sheikh said since the government announced the construction of the wall in March, Somalia has distanced itself, saying it was not consulted.
“Somalia incited its people against the plan, which caused unnecessary tension among the communities sharing the border,’’ Sheikh said.
He and other leaders were with Cord leader Raila Odinga, who toured the county to see the progress of the project.
All that was visible were weeds and a trench.
“We want the Interior CS to tell us why the project has stalled,” Sheikh said.
He said the delay encourages more Somalis to enter Kenya illegally.
Raila said the plan has suffered a set back as many Somalis have settled on no mans’ land.
Foreigners have invaded Kenyan soil, he said.
“We have held meetings with Somalia representatives, including their Interior minister, but no agreement has been reached,” Sheikh said.
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