Womankind Kenya, a Garissa town based non-governmental organization has comeup with a programme dubbed ‘Deris Wanag’ (Good neighbourliness) in the Somali dialect that has helped improve security in the border town of Holugho, Garissa County.
The programme that has been running for the last one year seeks to enhance peace and stability, strengthen social and economic dynamics, between communities from Holugho town (Kenya) and Kulbiyo (Somalia).
Speaking to KNA at the organization’s offices Osman Yahye after meeting a delegation from Hulugho, the team leader of the ‘Deris Wanag’ project said that the project aims to enhance the relationship between the security personnel and the community living along the border.
Yahye said the programme focusses on strengthening effectiveness of national responses to insecurity along the border, supporting local conflict resolution and management structures, building individual and community resilience in tackling violent extremist actors.
Holugho is one of the border towns in Garissa County that has in the bore the brunt of cross border attacks by the Somali based Al-Shabaab terror group who cross over to Kulbiyo town before disappearing into Somalia.
He attributed some of the terror attack to mistrust and disconnect between the security apparatus and community members from both sides who were not willing to volunteer information that would have helped in preventing the attacks from happening.
“We realized that there was a lot of mistrust between the security apparatus and the residents. There was completely lack of information sharing. But for the last one year we have managed to bridge the gap and we seeing the results,” Yahye said.
“The programme illustrates the shared interest between security agents, national government administrative officers and communities across the border areas in enhancing peace and stability for the common good of the two countries and their citizens,” he added.
Abdirahman Yussuf, a senior administrator and a resident of Holugho said the project has had a huge impact as far as security is concerned.
“The project has helped in enhancing relationship between community members and the security apparatus from the two sides. The elders, youth, women can now interact freely with the security apparatus and share actionable information without fear,” Yussuf said.
“My request to partners who have been instrumental in ensuring this project is a success is to extend it so that our people can continue enjoying the peace and tranquility that has been brought about by this project,” he added.
Noor Bashir a member of the Garissa paralegal network said that since its inception, the project has enhanced security and stability in the border town of Hulugho.
“Cases of extra judicial killings, enforced disappearance and brutality meted on residents by the suspected security agents were the order of the day. Hardly a day would pass without an incident being reported. But since this project started the cases are unheard off,” Bashir said.
He said that community dialogue which also involves the security apparatus where the residents get to air their concerns as well as point out areas that require improvement have become common.
Bashir further disclosed that the good neighbourliness has also brought economic benefit to residents from both sides since they can now mingle freely and cross over to both sides and carry out businesses amongst themselves.
By Jacob Songok
