By STEPHEN ASTARIKO @stephenastariko
Northeastern regional coordinator Mohamud Saleh on Monday warned Garissa residents against housing refugees fleeing repatriation to Somalia.
He spoke at the end of a capacity-building workshop on citizen participation in security in Garissa town.
Saleh said the government is aware some refugees are sneaking out of the Dadaab camps to evade screening. It is criminal for anyone to tolerate such acts and culprits will be prosecuted, he said.
“These refugees have no ID cards or any documents allowing them to be outside the camps,” he said.
“The government will not hesitate to take stern action against accomplices.”
Saleh said Kenya has been generous in hosting the refugees for more than 25 years and it is time they went back to rebuild their country.
He said Somalia is home to more than seven million people in areas liberated by Amisom.
“Somalia is safe and the refugees should join their brothers and sisters. Kenya has done its part,” he added.
On terrorism, Saleh urged landlords to be wary of suspected al Shabaab sympathisers who rent houses to conceal weapons used during attacks.
He said since he took charge, a huge arsenal has been recovered from several houses rented by al Shabaab militants in Soko Ngo’mbe and Garissa Ndogo.
The administrator wants landlords to report tenants’ personal details, including their ID numbers, phone numbers and photographs. He warned that those found harbouring criminals will be charged.
SOURCE:THE STAR
