During the official release of the results the Ministry for Planning, National Development and Vision 2030 nullified about 2.4 million results of Kenyan of Somali descend due to massive inconsistency.
The 2,385, 572 figure of Kenyan Somalis which placed them as the sixth largest tribe in the country against the country’s 38,610,097 is nullified and awaits a further update after a recount.
“the ratio of increase in eight most affected districts was higher that the population dynamics like birth and death rates, age and sex too deviated from the norm while the household size was without significance to the number of household” the official release explained.
The affected districts included Lagdera, Wajir East, Mandera Central, Mandera East, Mandera West, Turkana Central, Turkana North and Turkana South.
The most affected are Lagdera and Wajir East with a total of 469,541.
This shows only a tip of the iceberg since the effect was not reflected in illegal immigrants inland.
The recount after the 24-25th August 2009 census on the affected areas is expected to take longer. According to the official release, complexity of logistics like transport, insecurity concern and competition of other national interests like drought were the major challenges and will surely affect the count.
Additionally, the Ksh 8.4 billion budget allocation to the exercise has been allocated and new money will require a budgetary allocation before bureaucracy bottle neck starts.
The inconsistency is mostly caused by influx of Somali immigrants escaping the war in their country have had its effect not only in region, but all the way to Nairobi and Kampala.
According to unpublished UN reports and leaked diplomatic cables in Wiki leaks, Kenyan government is heavily involved in the Somali crisis by pitting the weak transitional government against rebels Al-shabaab.
“Kenyan government have aided in training of police, armed forces and Kenyan Somali youths illegally for the Somali government” Michael Rennebeger is quoted in the latest Wiki leaks cables.
The leak goes further into blaming two Kenyan youths for carrying out suicide bombing in Mogadishu claiming 21 lives: 17 soldiers, 11 of which were Burundian, 4 civilians and injuring over 15 people.
The precursor to the effect portrayed by the census was the Somalia and Ethiopian forces fighting the Al-shabaab spilling over into Kenya at Mandera town, which was affected by the inconsistency, in the border region few weeks ago.
Kenyan government in Nairobi was caught flat footed as over 20 people were killed and other injured. It took a serious of denial before TV footage forced Kenya to act during the heavy shelling and gun fight.
Although Kenyan forces helped subdue the uprising and increased border patrol and crack down of Somali immigrants traveling inland, the mood with Al-shabaab is frosty.
The terrorist has vowed a suicide attack in Kenya akin to the one they carried out during the final of world cup in Kampala Uganda which claimed more than 70 lives and injured over 100.
Sadly, the attack was planned by Kenyan Somalis and planned in Kenya showing how vulnerable the country is.
Prof. George Saitoti Kenyan security minister is adamant that Kenya is not involved in Somalia crisis and wont sent its troop in volatile country although Kenyan security is suffering from the war.
“Kenya will sent security forces along its border with Somalia to beef up the security” the minster is quoted telling the parliament and Kenyans.
This has interception of illegal immigrants from North Eastern and Nairobi’s Eastleigh estate with high number of immigrants.
These antics may go down the drain with corruption in immigration ministry, sense of victimization of Somalis and Muslims curtailing the processes.
Police commissioner Mathews Iteere reacting to Al-shabaab threat in Kenya recently released 9 suspects wanted for aiding Al-shabaab in planning an attack. The police too aided in fouling a Kampala bomber in Nairobi trying to reach Uganda by bus.
A recount of the census in the affected regions should be speeded up and the reasons of inconsistency brought out and immigrants in the region known and registered as refugees.
Why is the recount important?
“Collecting demographic and socio-economic data is essential for decision making process in government and stake holders in policy formulation” Edward Sambili, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Planning, National Development and Vision 2030 is quoted talking to journalist in a workshop.
On the other hand, the citizens of these districts and other stakeholders like trader and NGOs have the right to the results as all other Kenyans.
The 2009 population and housing census have shown Kenya’s soft under belly, the sustainable recount should show the way forward.
