State resumes construction of the controversial Somalia, Kenya wall

Government of Kenya has resumed construction of the controversial 700 KM wall on the Kenya/Somalia border.

On an interview with Radio Shabelle, Somali Forces Colonel Aden Ruffle said his country will remain vigilant so that no one encroaches their land in the name of building a wall. He went ahead to urge locals around the area to be alert over any suspicious activities from the Kenya’s side.

Somali has never received the idea positively and left it squarely on the government of Kenya to go ahead as long as they don’t interfere with their territory.

The structure according to the architectural designers’ Bill of Quantities BQ, was to consist of a concrete wall ringed with a barbed wire electric fence and trenches.

It is also expected that the perimeter wall should have observation posts with electronic surveillance cameras installed. This will help, according to security agencies, monitor activities at the border from dusk to dawn and throughout the day.

The wall, according to government of Kenya, was informed by the bloody attack at Garissa University that left almost the entire school in shambles.

Sources from the happenings around the contractor, informed media that initial plans was to have parallel concrete fences of heavy mesh and razor wires running in between them and a three meter deep trench on the Kenya’s side was to run along the fence, and next to it a road for policing. This was however changed in April 2019 when the entire project was marred with graft and questionable dealings. It was then changed from the initial 2 foot wall to only a wire fence.

Homenews.co.ke can report that already sh 3.4 billion had been gobbled with only 30 kilometers now covered. Parliamentary hearing confirmed this.

In the initial project stages, NYS staff reportedly abandoned the project incomplete citing lack of payments before Kenya Defense Forces took over.

The project according to residents from the area is not the best with both Somali and Kenyans around the area questioning its value to them. They think it is meant to slow down their activities when they have no other livelihood to depend on.

And to stop the tension that was ever building between the two communities, Kenya’s government had to order the suspension of the exercise in 2018 so that to irone out merging issues first.