Senators are calling on the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to provide regular, detailed updates on the efforts to rescue the abducted chiefs and restore security in Mandera County.
Nominated Senator Mariam Omar raised the alarming issue in the Senate, expressing deep concern over the abduction of four chiefs, one assistant chief, and the daughter of one of the chiefs in Wargadud Town on February 3.
The victims have now been missing for 45 days, and Omar highlighted the growing anxiety among local residents who are left in uncertainty.
Omar explained that the chiefs and assistant chief were on official duty when they were abducted. They were traveling to Elwak Town to meet with the Deputy County Commissioner ahead of President William Ruto’s upcoming week-long development tour of the North Eastern Region.
“We are urging the government to prioritize the immediate and safe return of these abducted leaders and civilians,” Omar said.
She also called on the government to strengthen security forces, enhance border security, and invest in improving infrastructure, education, and economic opportunities to reduce the number of people vulnerable to coercion by militant groups.
In addition to the efforts to secure the victims’ return, Omar stressed the need for the government to provide physical, financial, and emotional support to the affected families. The prolonged disappearance of the chiefs has left their families in a state of trauma, with children particularly suffering from depression and behavioral changes due to the sudden absence of their parents.
“These abductions have a profound emotional, psychological, and financial impact on the families, particularly those left behind by the primary breadwinners,” she noted.
Omar further explained that these families are facing significant financial hardship, struggling to meet daily needs like food, medical care, and other essentials. “The situation is even more devastating during the holy month of Ramadan, where these families must remain engaged in prayer and fasting,” she added.
Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo also expressed shock at the situation, particularly because the administrators were accompanied by armed police officers at the time of the abduction. Despite this, the victims have yet to be located by either the police or the armed forces.
Maanzo emphasized that if a chief, who is well-secured in the North Eastern region, could be abducted, then no Kenyan is safe from potential abduction. He urged the government to take all necessary actions to ensure that the chiefs are found alive and well.
“We must do everything in our power as a House to ensure these chiefs are found alive and safe, and to ensure that Kenyans are safe in the country. The primary responsibility lies with the President, the Defence Forces, and the Minister in charge of Interior,” Maanzo concluded.
