Heavy rains delay homecoming party for abducted Mandera chiefs

The ongoing rains in the southern parts of Somalia, especially within the Gedow region, have dampened the much-awaited welcome party for the five chiefs released after more than 60 days in captivity.

Residents of Wargadud, a township along the Elwak-Rhamu-Mandera road, have been waiting with bated breath to receive back the five administrators.

“We have been waiting since yesterday (Monday) when we received information that the team had left Jilib. Later, we were informed that the vehicle they are using got stuck in the mud due to heavy rains, but we have not given up,” Mr Mohamed Okash, a resident of Wargadud, said.

He revealed that a group of twelve elders drawn from Elwak and Wargadud led the month-long negotiations. It is not yet clear what the negotiations detailed and whether there was a ransom paid to the militants and how much.

Jilib is located 400 kilometres from Mandera town.

“The elders and the five chiefs are stuck in the muddy road, but we are hopeful they will be arriving immediately when their vehicle gets out of the situation,” he said.

Bad roads

It is common for travelers to spend days on the road during the rainy season in the northeastern region and parts of Somalia due to poor infrastructure.

On Monday, Interior and National Coordination Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the release of the five from captivity after more than 60 days in captivity following abduction by suspected Al-Shabaab militants.

“We have good news that our chiefs who were abducted in Mandera have been released and they are now in the hands of Kenyan officials and they will be arriving home anytime soon,” Mr Murkomen said during a security meeting in Mombasa.

He added, “I am confirming the release of the chiefs who were abducted in Mandera, this is very good news based on collaborative efforts. As I announced before, as a government we decided to work together with the community and county government of Mandera and the processes have borne fruits”.

The abduction of the chiefs happened on February 3, a day before President William Ruto arrived in Mandera to commence his weeklong political tour of the North Eastern region.

The five are Mr Adawa Abdi Mohamed, Mr Mohamed Hassan Kulmia, Mr Mohmaednur Hache and Mr Abdi Hassan Suraw.

While in Mandera, President William Ruto vowed to ensure the five are set free and rejoin their families.

The five were being held separately within the Jilib area inside Somalia, according to early reports shared by a group of elders from Kenya that has been in Somalia for about two months.

The five were separated and held in different “cells,” according to the elders.

Jilib is a town under the rule of Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab militants and it is about 400 kilometers from Mandera.

The town began following the construction of the Fanoole hydroelectric dam completed in the 1980s.