MOGADISHU — Kenyan government was asked to re-opened its border along Somalia, amid rising cross-border attacks by Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group.
Speaking during a public function in Garissa town, Mohammed Dahiye, a Dadaab MP called on Kenya to re-open the common border between Kenya and Somalia.
He says the country started to lose billions of shillings in revenue because unscrupulous businessmen were using ‘panya’ routes to smuggle in goods.
The current economic turbulence is said to have emerged after Kenya blocked all access of three border points of Mandera, Liboi and Kiunga.
Meanwhile, Somalia’s Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe has also urged Kenyan government to re-open its border along Somalia.
President Madobe says re-opening the border will accelerate development of the counties in Northern Kenya thus relieving the burden of the national government financing their budgets.
The Islamist group in Somalia has claimed earlier this week to have carried out massive attack on Kenyan military army camp in the coastal town of Lamu, killing at least ten soldiers.
Kenya says it has suffered since their arrival in Somalia in 2011 – but, adding, it will not affect its mission and will only strengthen their resolve to achieve regional peace.
Kenya contributes about 4,000 troops to the 22,000-strong African Union force in Somalia, battling against Al Shabaab.
