Kenya is on course with the construction of the 700km-long barrier along its border with Somalia. The Sh 3,4billion project started in 2015 as part of efforts to create a buffer zone to tame rising cases of terrorism.
The barrier, known as the Kenya-Somalia border securitisation project, is among others meant to secure the country from attacks by Somalia-based al Shabaab militants. The project plan includes designated immigration and custom entry points with a two-foot-tall concrete barrier fitted with CCTV cameras. Trenches are also being excavated
The exercise started on both Lamu and Mandera stretches and is continuing amid resistance from some quarters. The barrier was expected to be modeled on the snaking structure that separates Israel from Palestine’s West Bank and would have seen bricks, mortar and barbed wire line the border.
Reduce cases of attacks
The barrier has helped reduce cases of attacks in places where it has been erected. 90% of Mandera County is peaceful apart from the Arabia-Kotulo stretch, which they termed volatile, unpredictable, challenging and ambiguous.
The overall project includes at least 22 border posts on the border with well-equipped personnel to respond to any form of aggression. Officials say once complete, the teams will be spread 40km apart to enable quick response to attacks.
Development partners, including the UK and US governments, are helping Kenya to complete the initiative. The British government recently donated seven fully equipped containers to be used as police posts. The containers are said to be fireproof and equipped with an armoury that may take up to 10 hours to break in.
The US government also donated 39 four-wheel drive cars to be used by the Administration Police’s Border Patrol Unit. President Uhuru Kenyatta flagged off the vehicles at the Kanyonyo BPU college in February.
