Abakaile Ward MCA Hajir Dahiye speaking to the press in Garissa town./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Abakaile Ward MCA Hajir Dahiye, has called on the Kenyan government to review its security policy towards Somalia's Jubaland State following the latest Al-Shabaab attack in Garissa County.
Dahiye said that lasting peace along the Kenya-Somalia border cannot be achieved while militants continue to control territories across the frontier.
His remarks come days after about 15 heavily armed gunmen suspected to be Al-Shabaab militants raided Abakaile trading centre in Dadaab Sub-County during the early hours of last Sunday, targeting a primary school where teachers were sleeping before attacking a nearby Safaricom telecommunications mast.
The assailants reportedly hurled a hand grenade at the facility's main gate before spraying the generator with bullets, causing extensive damage and disrupting communication services in the area.
Security officers from Dadaab and Saretho responded swiftly, forcing the attackers to flee on foot towards the Fafi area. No injuries or fatalities were reported.
Speaking to the press in Garissa town on Friday, Dahiye said the recurring attacks demonstrate that insecurity in northeastern Kenya is directly linked to instability in Somalia's southern regions, particularly Middle Jubba, where Al-Shabaab continues to maintain a strong presence.
"Kenya cannot achieve lasting security along its border while vast areas across the frontier remain under the control of Al-Shabaab. We must rethink our approach because the security of Garissa is inseparable from the security situation inside Jubaland," he said.
The MCA questioned Kenya's continued strategic engagement with the Jubaland administration, accusing it of failing to eliminate the militant threat despite years of support.
"It is time for Kenya to reassess its strategic partnership with the Jubaland administration. Fifteen years is a long time to wait for meaningful change while our communities continue to suffer repeated attacks. Change has become necessary," Dahiye said.
He argued that while other parts of Somalia have made progress in reclaiming territory from Al-Shabaab through joint operations between the Federal Government of Somalia and regional administrations, Jubaland has lagged behind, leaving border communities vulnerable to frequent militant incursions.
According to the MCA, Kenya should strengthen cooperation with Somalia's Federal Government and support efforts to liberate Middle Jubba, including Bu'aale, the official capital of Jubaland, which remains one of Al-Shabaab's key strongholds.
"The fight against terrorism requires a united approach. Jubaland should work hand in hand with Somalia's Federal Government to reclaim areas under Al-Shabaab control. Restoring government authority there will significantly reduce the militants' ability to infiltrate Kenya," he added.
Dahiye also urged security agencies to investigate why many of the recent incursions into Dadaab appear to originate through the Fafi corridor, saying authorities must establish whether local networks are facilitating the attacks or whether they are being coordinated directly from across the border.
He called on residents to remain vigilant and continue sharing intelligence with security agencies, while commending the swift response by police officers, Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) and other security personnel that prevented the latest attack from causing casualties.
The legislator further highlighted what he described as the humanitarian consequences of prolonged militant control in parts of southern Somalia, claiming that many families have fled Middle Jubba after years of insecurity, forced recruitment of young boys into militant ranks and forced marriages involving young girls. He said many of the displaced families eventually sought refuge in the Dadaab refugee camps.
The latest incident has renewed concerns among residents and local leaders over the vulnerability of communities living near the porous Kenya-Somalia border, where Al-Shabaab militants have continued to stage sporadic attacks targeting security installations, communication infrastructure and public institutions.
Abakaile residents say Sunday's attack revived memories of a similar incident in 2019 when militants destroyed a Safaricom mast at Saretho Primary School.
Following that attack, security was reinforced through the establishment of a temporary police post and permanent protection of the telecommunications facility.
Kenya has battled Al-Shabaab for more than a decade after launching Operation Linda Nchi in October 2011 following a series of cross-border kidnappings and attacks blamed on the Somalia-based militant group.
Kenyan forces later joined the African Union peace support mission in Somalia, helping the Somali government reclaim several towns from the militants.
However, Al-Shabaab continues to control parts of southern Somalia, particularly in Middle Jubba, and has repeatedly carried out attacks inside Kenya, especially in the northeastern and coastal regions.
Security experts have consistently maintained that improving stability in southern Somalia remains critical to enhancing security in Kenya's border counties, including Garissa, Wajir and Mandera, which continue to bear the brunt of cross-border militant activity.
