Why Nairobi ought to facilitate peaceful handover of Jubaland

Kenya sent its military to Somalia in October 2011 targeting to neuter Al-Shabaab, stop kidnappings and create the Jubaland autonomous state as a buffer zone. Only the last worked.

The consequence of that has been nasty and brutal terrorist attacks in the country with the former Northeastern Province suffering the brunt of the bloodshed. But the Garissa County leadership has backed this adventure, even spending its political and social capital to sustain Jubaland. Wajir and Mandera have been neither here nor there, seemingly beaten to submission.

The NEP leadership is partly culpable for the region’s insecurity for abetting the military incursion or indifference. They ought to mobilise residents to weed out Al-Shabaab and fugitive renegade militia and seek a military pullout.

As regards political and military dynamics, Jubaland is on its deathbed. Its internal security minister, a Mr Janan, is a fugitive in Mandera and the rest of its leadership and militias could follow suit. That portends more insecurity, mayhem and the next influx of refugees.

Kenya has sacrificed a lot to resuscitate the dead horse called Jubaland for 11 years. It is wiser to deal with the central government in Mogadishu than regional proxies. Nairobi ought to facilitate peaceful handover of Jubaland to the Somali federal government.