Garissa People's Forum

Garissa People's Forum The Garissa We Want The People interested in building a value based Garissa County

10/01/2026

*Wamunyoro & NFD: A bad watch tells right time twice a day.*
The current heated exchanges between NFD legislators and Mr.Gashagua is one that has a lot of truth with the claim of not utilising CDF monies for public good but pocketed by MPs being factual as nothing much can be said of investment save for one or two classrooms,police houses and NGAO offices that do not meet the building specifications contrary to the BoQs but just Kanyumbas that are over priced to steal public monies. That said, it will be unfair to mention the good job of two gentlemen; CS Hon. Duale, formerly of Dujis and Township constituencies and Hon. Adan Keinan of Wajir West and Eldas,who exemplary utilised the CDF to the satisfaction of their voters with what the local call 'Itus oo Itaabsii' in other words show me and make me touch it projects still visible and talked about in their areas with nostalgia.
As for the rest, Gashagua is very right to spot you for using the said fund for self-satisfaction through committees of handpicked political loyalists. One wonders why the OAG and EACC see and hear no evil about the pilfer of CDF in North-East or rather Northern Kenya. Mr.Gashagua endelea kwa mulika wezi wapya na asante.

08/01/2026

*Garissan Youth Gangsterism: A collective Societal failure.*
Garissa has for some time experienced the emergence of organized youth who, besides using harmful drugs, have been terrorising residents in various Township settlements. The situation has become so deadly to an extent that they have been using knives to kill and or rob their victims be it day or night time. This has made the Garissan populace fearful and unable to transact their daily chores freely for the fear of the attacks of these gangs commonly known as Looma ooyan in other words those whom no one cries for or feels in the event calamity befall them.Meaning those who have no one to be complained to even if they have parents and relatives.The situation in Garissa has now escalated to a more dangerous scenarios with these gangs so organized in settlements and with inter-clan youth gangs fighting each other and negatively using social media to video tape their victims be they males or females whilst naked and share them in open media.Something very obnoxious,unusual, uncultural and ofcourse unreligious.
The unfortunate thing is that, all these crime is happening with leaders all the way from Chiefs,MCA, Elders, Religious leaders and the MP lamenting and issuing hollow warnings that these youth gang treat with the contempt it deserves and not caring about anything and but continue with their terror in settlements and in the CBD.
The irony is that, there is totally lack of fear of the law catching up with them and the National Police and NGAO seems to be helpless with such youth either getting released before arraignment in court and at the Police stations or the courts. All these happen when lawful route is not followed and the criminal justice system gets compromised.
Garissa is at cross-road as an insecure town will be a hard place to live in let alone attracting investors and we therefore appeal to polticial leaders to have a seating with the Minister of Interior, Inspector General, Director DCI and request for a special team to clean this menace once and for all. If these dangerously armed youth are fallen one after the other and those accessible are apprehended, Garissa will certainly return to the peaceful town it was.One escape strategy these youth gangs use is to flee to Eastleigh or their clan Sub-counties whenever they get a whiff of an impending crackdown. If nothing is done, these Panga and knife welding youth will graduate into dangerous criminals who will ultimately have a multiplier effect in all parts of Kenya. The leaders and the State Security machinery MUST act now!

01/01/2026

Aden Duale, The Northern Kenya Somali Giant And Kingmaker Aden Duale

By Darod Farah

Aden Duale is perhaps the indefacto most influential Muslim and Somali leader in Kenya's history. A household name who makes headlines for his crafty and brilliant political manoeuvres...and this is why recently some non-starters, amateur and "one term" politicians from the north have been wailing about his influence in the region.

Born in a poor family with little or nothing to put on the table in the 60s, he worked hard as a young but very ambitious individual to earn what many today envy.

As a young boy, he performed exemplary in school and joined one of the most prestigious national school, Moi Forces Academy and here is where his journey to becoming the Muslim and Somali Kenya political kingpin begun.

Immediately after college, he began working hard to change the lives of his people who were neglected by the Kenyan government and rose through ranks to become the first Somali to lead the most popular party and a third in command in the Kenyan parliament where he helped make laws and push for not only government business in the house but also single-handedly champion for the development of Northeastern Kenya.

He, for the first time pushed the government of Uhuru to bring national, legacy projects to the region just to mention a few, the first university in Northeastern Kenya and the national grid and many other projects most likely roads to open up a region long foresaken and abandoned by the national government.

He made headlines fighting for the rights of the entire region while all these jealous and clueless MPs were sleeping in their jobs.

When Duale joined hands with President William Ruto during the fallout of Raila and Ruto, Duale had his eyes on the prices. With the most significant focus being the well-being of his people, the Somalis in Northeastern Kenya.

He sided with Ruto despite all the challenges he faced and worked hard to see Ruto become the President of Kenya.

In 2022, he was the only Somali politician who traversed the country with Ruto to campaign. Not forgetting that almost all Somali leaders siding with Uhuru and Raila.

Despite all that, Duale delivered the Muslim and Somali votes to Ruto and greatly contributed to the victory of William Ruto.

To be honest, none deserves more accolades than Duale in this regime.
For the Ministerial positions that he has held, he evidently performed perfectly and executed his duties with due diligence, transparency and with the aim of delivering services to all Kenyans.

Aden Duale is a figure whose history and achievements, in the face of unending trials, cannot be summarised in one article.
He has indeed earned his special place in the annals of Kenya's history.
When the history of this great country is written, Duale will feature in a colourful style.

Aden Duale is and will remain the political kingpin and Kingmaker of not only Somalis but Muslims in Kenya.

15/12/2025

*CS Hon.Duale; the Northern Star you can't wish away*
Leadership is God-given, Leadership is personal charisma and an effective leadership is one that draws admiration and envy in equal measure and so is CS Hon.Duale's.
Given is his life path,which is a rarity in the political circles given his humble beginning and only goes close to that of President Ruto's humble start. Hon.Duale is one self-made leader who, due to his strong Islamic faith that demand trust and honesty has been natured in realm of religiosity and thus loyalty and keeping covenants be it political or social agreements is always the corner stone of his day to day life.
Therefore, to be hurt by CS Hon. Duale's frank and forthright opinion be it his political position or social view is always expected as sugar coating and playing to the gallery of things is an act of hypocrisy and one which is strange to Hon.Duale's modus operandi.
This, therefore draws flare ups, tantrums and occasional outbursts by friend and foes and which to him is healthy and fair play as opinions is always best to be expressed than to be kept to pain the heart.
The recent opinion of one or two political leaders is not a new phenomena in Duale's life cycle and he has crossed paths with big and mighty in Kenya on matters principle and so some concerns by brethren is to him is a normal hubbub expected to a rise and more as we move towards the tail end of the 5 years electoral cycle of Kenya.
Telling the mass that Duale's stoic and religious advocacy of support for President Ruto's government is an obstacle to Northern Kenya'unity or an obstacle to getting goodies from President Ruto's government is the height of dishonesty and mean thinking that can only serve personal interest at the expense of public good.
That President Ruto's government has done big milestones and historical ones for the people of Northern Kenya does not need any explanation for it's what in Somali we will call 'Itus oo Itaabsii' projects and investments; in other words projects which are 'show me and let me feel them' that for generations will be remembered and appreciated by the Somali world.Just to jog the minds of lamenting few, President Ruto has restored for our people the honor and dignity to fully feel to be Kenyans by equalising us with other Kenyans in getting Identity cards and other papers of identity without devious obstacles,he has embarked on and he personally oversees the implementation of strategic life changing projects like roads and bridges and for the first time,our devolved leadership have gotten a listening ear and unlike herebefore the too much harassment and threats of Governors has died down with the ball to perform or not fully in the devolved leadership courts. Insecurity; the tool that herebefore was used to marginalize us is fully addressed by President Ruto and our security organs are 24/7 on top of things with an aura of peace being felt all over the region and with reduced spates of incidents occurrence.
In our culture, complaints after getting what one needs is always reprimanded with ' Afka yuu ku maroorin' in other words, stop complaining of God's blessings lest he twist your mouth. Such is the situation of our complaining few as if this government hasn't given it's all and heart to the North-East. We are telling President asante sana.
The complaining entities know very well that CS Duale and President Ruto have been together through thick and thin and with CS Duale's genuine marketing of his friend for a deserved re-election going by his support for the Northerners should not raise any envy and discontent on their part. Hii meli ya Rais Ruto ni kubwa sana na inabeba Wakenya wote bile mtu ku ngunika ngunika'.
We know CS Duale hana roho chafu and leaves his opinion and feelings of one or a situation there and then and certainly for the good of all Northerners and Kenya's good, we encourage all leaders to work in unison towards the BIG ball that is to victoriously achieve the TUTAM for President Ruto and all other political cockfights for legislative and devolved leadership be done whilst under one roof.
As for those politicians who feel their backyard aren't sitting politically pretty well, pambaneni na hali yenu bila kutupia Waziri tope.
As for CS Hon.Duale; we are saying go go, go building the networks that will enable President Ruto ram to victory come 2027 as you pull on the few doubting thomases who do not know your capacity and charisma in politics. Cc William Samoei Ruto Kithure Kindiki Hon Musalia W Mudavadi Aden Duale Umulkheir Harun Mohamed Edo Udgoon Siyad

08/12/2025

*The organised hate of Somalis in Kenya by the 'Kuzos' political alliance*
For the last two years or so, an alliance of political grouping led by Gachagua, Kalonzo, Natembeya and Matiangi has emerged and for some strange reasons,they have decided to focus their time and energy by labelling Somalis as a tribe who are not Kenyans but aliens who have infiltrated the government of Kenya and are going to be used by President Ruto to win the 2027 election by illegally registering them as citizens.
This is mind boggling, offensive,unpalatable, bizzare and most foul as this has led to a serious mobilisation of 'Kuzos' GenZ allied to the opposition to mount a serious campaign to profile and marginalize Somalis in social media whilst these politicians and their coolies turned every public platform as an opportunity to bash Somalis and call them all names by targeting Somalis in th3 Executive and the Security sector.
Dear Kenyans; this is totally unacceptable as Somalis are one of the tribes with distinct land in Kenya and any agenda to call them aliens is malicious and ment to marginalise them from mainstream Kenya.
Kenyans; you very well know there are lawful aliens in Kenya from Congo,Burundi, Rwanda,South Sudan and Somalia but for a reason best known to Gachagua and Natembeya et al, they opted to target Somalis with hate and vitriol
Yes; Somalis have the right to align with any political groupings, access any services and opportunities in Kenya and in the last election,majority were with Azimio led by Uhuru Kenyatta and Marehemu Baba
If some have now openly shown their interest to support President Ruto's TUTAM, why should that create all these brouhaha and animosity meant to antoganize Somalis with what you call Kuzos rallying call but openly means an identity tag of 'we' Bantus.
Suprising enough, the security organs and NCIC are hearing no evil nor seeing any evil.
We warn the government not to entertain any profiling of ay tribes in Kenya and let the NCIC and the ORPP summon these prophets of doom and formally warn them to stop profiling Somalis and brewing political upheaval in Kenya
Lastly; Somalis are not and will not be moved an inch by your malicious and dangerous outburst and threats and if push come to shove,they will as men of valor repulse anyone who strays to destroy their dignity and integrity. We are not guests of anyone in Kenya and neither will we bow for anyone other than our creator Allah! If you feel otherwise bring it on!

30/11/2025

*PUTTING INTO PERSPECTIVE- _The Garissa Conundrum*_
*Historic Reflection:*
Garissa in North-East Kenya is the home to the Abdwak and Samawadal (Abdalla + Rer-Mohamed) as was clearly known as Talamuge district during the colonial time with it's first Headquarter at Masabubu,then Sankuri and later shifted to Garissa; All Abdwak settlements.Before then,the land between River Juba in Somalia and River Tana in Kenya was hitherto known as Jubaland region governed by the British under their Administrator at Kismaayo.
The Abdwak leader Abdi Ibrahim (Grandad of former AP-Commander -Shurie) led the Talamuge (Abdwak + Abdalla and some other few Ogadens) into what is now Kenya and mainly came a long with their Mohamed-Zubeir sub-clan members and conquered what is currently known as Wajir county thro a warfare with Borans for 20 years and expanded their occupation upto Bute and Elwak.All these lands was Boran country and they took over their wells including the famous Orahey wells in Wajir.
As the Abdwak war leader grew old, there arose misunderstanding with Mohamed-Zubeir kinsmen and he decided to move out with his Abdwak community and their Abdalla cousins to West towards Isiolo and Meru, where Abdi Ibrahim got killed by Samburu and Laikipiak Masaai raiders and he got burried at Kyengo in Central Meru. His Abdwak community with their Abdalla cousins moved south-wards to the current Garissa county.This land was an empty wildlife infested land. The Abdwak occupied the land between Danyere to the north,Jalanqo drift to the East and few kilometres from Modogashe to Ananotu; close to Ijara town on Garissa -Lamu road.To the East,Abdwak expansive land stretched to Kulan close to Liboi.
Their Abdalla or the larger Samawadhal cousins occupied the land between Masalani and Holugho close to Boni forest and bordering Somalia to the East.
**The NFD Uprising at Independence:**
Just as they led in occupying NFD, the Abdwak King Stambul, the grand son of Abdi Ibrahim joined fellow Somalis in demanding to join the greater Somalia and not Kenya, unlike his maternal cousin and the King of Abdalla Hassan Barjin who opted to join the Jomo Kenyatta govt.
The secessionist movement was spearheaded by Abdwak with the current Abdwak King Dekow Maalim Stambul, being it's President.The movement died down after the Arusha declaration of 1967 though the NFD leaders came back from Somalia in 1991 after the fall of Siyad Bare's government.
A gap in the narration is there came another Ogaden sub-clan; the Auliyahan from Somalia after fleeing a war they waged against the British under their Sultan Abdirahman along the Juba river in Somalia and raided the British garrison at Serenley killing British officers and looting the garrison.This happened close to a century ago and they got settled in the land along the Lorian swamp stretching from Modogashe to Liboi. This phased migration of two waves therefore clearly put distinct land ownership as documented by both the British and the Kenya government.

**Post - Colonial Kenya:**
Given that the Abdwak were in secession movement,they refused to participate in the first Kenyan election and in their place, Kenyatta govt gave their Garissa Central Parliamentary seat to their loyal Abdallas and with a cousin of the late Yussuf Haji becoming the MP. It's only in 1969 that Abdwak took over their seat after the end of Shifta emergency
Abdwak, after accepting the realiof the OAU Arusha declaration, took centre stage of social,political and economic development of their region with Garissa being their hometown, they became the drivers of everything with others as guests.They ended up controlling the decision making and economy of Garissa to and extent that; they got their luminaries and tycoons detained by Jomo Kenyatta after it was alleged that they killed a relative of Kenyatta who controlled sugar trade in Garissa. In other words,they had strong visibility in Garissa's decision making upto the advent of devolution, the refugee influx and the severe 1991 drought that caused huge rural -urban migration into the peripheries of Garissa town by the Abdalla, Auliyahan and Abdwak from the hinterland settlements of the respective 3 communities that settle in Garissa county.
The Refugee influx who majority were Ogadens of the Auliyahan and Abdalla;who fled Somalia due to civil war and Ethiopia's Ogaden region due to Ethiopia's incarceration of the rebel Ogadens completely tilted the local populationn arithmetic as they mostly got illegally absorbed as Kenyans with Identity cards issued to them by their clan leaders incahoot with ID vetting teams. Ironically, the Abdwak sub-clan had no settlement outside Garissa county and nearly all of them live in Garissa county. Unlike the others two clans, they had nokinsmen in Somalia save for few families in Ethiopia who still were left behind and upto date are domiciled in Ethiopia with a negligible number trooping in to Garissa

***The new Power play to displace Abdwak from* Garissa*
1. With advent of devolution, there occurred formation of what I will call unholy alliances between Auliyahan and Abdalla who felt constrained by lack of land and power for along time as most of the strategic land in Garissa including the dry season grazing land along the Tana-river was Abdwaks, gotten by virtue of the early occupation of the said land
2. The dominant political and State leadership before devolution and even after by Abdwak luminaries in government, including Ministers and other State technocrats including the long self-made chief of General Staff
3. The desire by Auliyahan and Abdalla to take over strategic parcels of land outside Garissa municipality or rather what is known as the land beyond Ring road including Modika,Raya and Boul-Argy
4. Lobbying at the Presidency and other State offices to displace Abdwak from State decision making and State job opportunities
5. The use of their current strategic positions in government by these two clans to lobby and depict Abdwak as inconsequential in Garissa county and a burden to both the Presidency and State level leaders
6. Deliberate disinformation to State organs like the Lands commission of who owns Garissa town with openly claiming in the full glare of the camera their ownership of the Central Garissa settlements of the Abdwak king which the government of Jomo Kenyatta forcefully took over after Abdwak led the NFD sessionist movement and other Abdwak settlement of those who ran away during the Shifta

**Consequences of Abdwak land invasion*
1. The emergence of here before unknown insecurity as guns were easily available from refugee clan cousins who by virtue of getting Kenyan identity cards made movement easy
2. Armed broad daylight fight to takeover abdwak land in Garissa town; a phenomena happening up to now and with National security very much in the picture
3. Deliberate marginalisation of Abdwak from County and National resources including employments
4. A smart agenda to chase out the owners of Garissa; Abdwak clan from their homeland to God knows where
5. Misuse of Anti-terror and other security installations to destabilize Abdwak with both accounted for and still not accounted for disappearances with intension to create fear in Abdwak displace and displace them from their land
6. Lobbying to influence President Ruto through disinformation by using State security organs and hoodwink him to publicly endorse a Governorate candidate for Garissa population in total disregard for the other competing gubernatorial candidates.That was a political gaffe that will not augur well with President Ruto! Not unless the President again publicly declares his non-partisan position. Abdwak clan in particular are not taking that light and as is known of them will rebel any such antics!

**What may be not be known about Abdwak by many**
1. Abdwak unlike the other 2 ogaden clans are war hardened lot who lost most of their population to succesive emancipation of themselves from dominance and arrogance of other communities.

The key highlight of such wars are:-
1) Deadly war with Jiid-Waaq clan in Ethiopia
2) Massive war with the populous Mohamed-Zubeir in Ethiopia
3) The war that toppled the powerful Elaay Kingdom of Bur-Hakaba near Baidoa in Somalia
4) The deadly inresolved war upto date in defence of the Abdalla against Mohamed-Zubeir of Wajir South at Kalaluud and where Mohamed-Zubeir lost their King Ahmed Magan in the war
5) The retaliatory war with Mohamed-Zubeir at Sankuri still over the Abdwak defense of their Abdalla cousins
6) The dry seasons emancipation of their Abdalla cousins to access the river tana along their settlements by fighting off the Pokomo

**What are the virtues of Abdwak as a neighbor?**
1.Abdwak are known in Garissa as hospitable,welcoming and are not disturbing. This fact can independently be confirmed from both Somalis and non-Somalis we live with in Garissa
2. In all incidents that happens in Garissa, Abdwaks actions are mostly in defense caused by blatant encroachment on their land (verifiable from the security sector) in fulfillment of a new adage by our cousins that 'Gaaris malakala loho' in other words is Garissa is no one's land

**What will Abdwak do to preserve their dignity:**
1. They will lawfully get their ancestoral land outside Garissa municipality titled as a community trust land and they encourage their Auliyahan and Abdalla cousins to do the same for their pieces
2. They will lawfully confront the now deep-rooted refugee and aliens influence in Garissa political,social and economic affairs and wherever they are in Kenya
3. The American like response to unlawfully registered aliens' dominance will be brought into action and no one can stop it as it's a serious Kenyans concern
4.Abdwak will openly and categorically tell the President and State technocrats being misused to marginalise Abdwak to keep off matters Garissa county to the extent they are not lawfully involved and STOP enabling rift,hate and division among brethren
Lastly; let it be known to all sundry that, we will initiate legal actions to save this community from planned exclusion and marginalization and extinction
NB: The National Land Commission CANNOT unlawfully pay masquaraders any compensation of Abdwak land as their land! If you do let the Commision for legal tussle!

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