Garissa residents call for Mohamud Saleh’s return following Al Shabaab attacks

The Clergy and Garissa County locals are calling for the former North Eastern Provincial Commissioner Mohamud Saleh to be included in security matters following the recent Al Shabaab attacks in the area.

According to the area residents, Ambassador Saleh did a good job when he served as area commissioner and even dealt with the Shifta problem.

The Shifta war waged between 1964 to 1967 was characterised by alleged widespread violation of human rights and mass killings.

Mr. Saleh previously served as an Ambassador in Saudi Arabia.

“Those people who served well like Ambassador Saleh should be recalled. Saleh served during the Shifta wa and when insecurity issues were high in Garissa and he restored peace,” says Pastor Joseph Muema of Garissa Anglican Church.

Garissa County has in the recent past witnessed a series of terror related attacks with the recent incident at Kamuthe Primary School leaving three teachers dead.

At least 20 people are reported to have been killed in Al Shabaab attacks over the last six weeks.

The attacks include bus raids, kidnappings and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks in the Northern Kenya counties of Wajir, Garissa, Mandera and Lamu.

Amb. Saleh is credited with eliminating the shifta menace in the early 2000s.

He was appointed as the RC, North Eastern Region to deal with the Al-Shabaab following the massacre of 148 people mostly students at Garissa university on April 2, 2015.

The former envoy is responsible for coordinating and overseeing security and peace initiatives in the region.