Kenyan Somali MPs Denounce “Outlandish” Plans for Border Wall

Kenyan Somali MPs has voiced their disapproval to the proposed construction of a border wall at the Somalia-Kenya border, saying this sounds more like apartheid tactics.

MP Ilyas Barre Shiil from Garisa County told Goobjoog correspondent in Nairobi that he doesn’t know any wall separating two countries in Africa, and the only one he knows is that of Israel to isolate Palestinian people.

“As you may know the inhabitants of the border areas of the two sides are pastoralists who cross to either side in search of pasture and water during the dry season, so that we would never accept such outlandish plans” said the MP.

The governor of Lamu County which falls partly on the border with Somalia Isse Timamy has revealed plans to construct a wall at the border so as to prevent illegal immigrants and insurgents to cross to Kenya. He said the wall might be finished within this year of 2015.

MP Mohamoud Mohamed Moalim from Mandera County believes that Kenyan government should deploy enough soldiers to the border to prevent the crossovers of Alshabab fighters who commit heinous crimes inside Kenya, but he said the wall is not the answer.

“It shouldn’t be viewed that the Somalis are a security threat to Kenya, we took a decision to support the government’s effort to eliminate Alshabab without harassing the public” said the MP.

The proposed wall has sparked a public debate in Somalia and Kenya, with parallels drawn from around the world where walls have been constructed like that one of Israel.

Goobjoog News