Press Statement Friday 21st Feb,2020.
Degodia Community Attention:
Mandera County Government The Kenyan constitution of 2010 guarantees and advocates for equality and inclusion in employment and political representation both at National and County level. Mandera county is a cosmopolitan county where the Garre (majority), Degodia (second majority), Murule and corner tribe reside. We as the Degodia community feel marginalized and discriminated in a county where we are the second majority. It is very sad and painful to be discriminated by the Mandera county Governor Ali Ibrahim Roba, whom we have given 24,000 Degodia votes in the last general election.
As a community, we have issues with the following;
- Mandera county Budget allocation
The county budget is allocated in such a way that is designed to benefit the governor’s community and some parts of the murule community. Upon a close analysis of the Mandera county budget, you will come to the disturbing conclusion that the Degodia community has not received even 500,000,000 development fund out of a possible 16 Billion development fund in the last 2 financial years. This ladies and gentlemen of the press, is the sad state of affairs in Mandera county. (source: mandera county budget FY 2017/2018-FY2018/2019)
- Donor funds
Donor funds from world bank, DANIDA, Kenya climate smart Agriculture project and Agricultural sector development support program are all channeled and awarded to Elwak, Takaba, Kutulo and some parts Lafey.
- Mandera Public Service Board
The recent mass employment by the mandera public service board was cancelled by the governor through a court order by his proxies. This employment opportunity will have seen hundreds of mandera residents employed including Degodia community graduates and professionals.
- County Tenders and contracts
County tenders are awarded to non-residents as the minimum 10% requirement cannot be met by Mandera business people due to the dying economy in the county. This has become challenge to young entrepreneurs who cannot get contracts because they are not allied to governor’s handlers.
- No separation of roles
We are aware that the governor has relegated his duties to three men, county secretary Abdinur maalim Hussein, chief officer finance Mr .Alinur Mohamed and chief officer public service Mohamed Mohamed. And as a result the county is held hostage by them. He floats around the county like a pregnant hippopotamus, taking pride in his role as the shamba boy of the governor.
- Circular by the National Treasury Mandera county is said to be unable to pay its outstanding bills to the national treasury, this may lead to lack of funds in the county. We believe this comes a result of mismanagement and poor governance in Mandera county.
Subsequently, the governor has recently dismissed unconstitutionally Abdiaziz Maad CEC for trade and industrialization and cooperative development siting among other reasons, interference and misunderstanding. Whereas, the CEC Abdiaziz Maad was instrumental and a key player in the formation and implementation of the Mandera County Municipality. We strongly believe that his sacking was a response to his push for equal representation in the county municipality and other departments.
Therefore we demand, as the Degodia community, the immediate reinstatement of CEC Abdiaziz Maad to his office.
We wish to appeal to the Kenya human rights and equality commission, the Ethics anti-corruption committee and Kenya National cohesion and integration commission to intervene and stop the serious discrimination and outright neocolonialism in Mandera or else this disrespect and marginalization towards the Degodia community will lead to unrest and eventually chaos in the county. Thank you ladies and gentlemen and members of the press.
