Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced that the five chiefs abducted earlier this year in Mandera will be awarded the prestigious Head of State Commendation.
Speaking in El Wak during the second day of the government’s Jukwaa la Usalama tour of Mandera County on Tuesday, Murkomen said the recognition was in honour of their resilience and dedication to duty despite the traumatic ordeal.
“On behalf of the Government of Kenya, I want to extend my apologies to the five chiefs who were on their way to President William Ruto’s meeting before their abduction. This year, the five will be awarded state commendation for their strength in going through the turmoil and still accepting to return to work,” Murkomen declared.
The CS commended all chiefs in the region, noting their service and sacrifices often came under difficult circumstances marked by insecurity and threats from terror groups. He urged them to remain steadfast in their roles as the first line of government representation at the grassroots.
In February this year, suspected members of the outlawed Al-Shabaab terror group abducted the chiefs in Mandera County. The incident sparked outrage and heightened concerns about security along the Kenya-Somalia border.
According to Mandera South Police Commander Julius Njeru, the five administrators were travelling from Wargadud to El Wak Town for official duty when they were intercepted.
The chiefs, who hailed from the Wargadud East, Qurahmudow, and Chachabole administrative units, were aboard a government vehicle when the attack occurred. The vehicle was hijacked between Bamba Owla and Ires Suki in Mandera South.
At the time of the abduction, the chiefs were en route to a consultative meeting to prepare for President William Ruto’s planned tour of the region.
Two months later, on April 6, the chiefs were released by their captors under unclear circumstances. Local authorities indicated that elders from Mandera played a pivotal role in negotiating their safe return.
The administrators were reportedly held in neighbouring Somalia during their captivity, where they endured uncertainty until their eventual release.
The government acknowledged that the abduction was a major national security concern and lauded the collaboration between security agencies and local communities that helped secure the chiefs’ release.
Murkomen revealed that the Head of State Commendation is expected to serve as both recognition of the chiefs’ endurance and a reassurance to other administrators working in volatile regions that their service is valued at the highest levels. They will be awarded during the upcoming Jamhuri Day celebrations.
