KENYA-SOMALI CLAN RIVALRY A THREAT TO NEW DISTRICT
Plans to carve a new district out of Garissa have been dogged by clan rivalry that could force the Government to shelve the proposal.
The Abuduwak and Aulyahan clans are polarised over the issue and each is competing to have the new district to include boundaries of their Fafi and Lagdera constituencies respectively.
The Garissa District Commissioner Joseph Imbwaga said the Kenyan Government would decide the fate of the proposed new district owing to tug-of-war between the two Somali clans over matter.
He said talks with leaders on whether the district would be located in Fafi or the neighbouring Lagdera constituency did not bear fruit.
Fafi MP Aden said creation of a new district for his constituents would reduce their troubles.
He says the constituency has poor road network which is a source of suffering for residents who travel to Garissa town, over 120 km away, in search of government services.
Five divisions
But Lagdera MP Abdullahi Sheikh Dahir said his constituency has five divisions and the necessary infrastructure to host the district.
He also noted that constituency would be able to meet the cost of putting up district offices.
However, Mr Sugow claimed that when President Kibaki granted the area a district last month, he preferred it set up in the least developed part of Garissa to spur development and boost
Service delivery.
On his part, Dujis MP Hussein Maalim Mohamed who is also the Home Affairs the assistant minister, said locating the district in Lagdera would call for review of his and Lagdera constituency boundaries before the next General Election.
Mr Maalim asked the Government to resolve the matter noting that local leaders would not come up with an amicable settlement due to vested interests.
