By Betty Luke
Isiolo’s Somali community has called for remuneration of National Police Reservists working across the vast county, saying doing so will motivate them to diligently undertake their work of complimenting police efforts in tackling insecurity in the region.
Led by their elders, the community said it was sad that despite putting their lives at risk while defending their communities against banditry attacks that were prone in the area, the reservists struggled to fend for their families.
“Police reservists stay out in the cold while undertaking night patrols to ensure the communities living in Isiolo are safe from attacks but remain un-remunerated,” noted Somali Council of Elders (SCE) Chairperson Abdikadir Shariff Abdullahi.
Due to their critical role in peace building, the elders said, reservists deserved pay like officers under the National Police Service.
“They support police officers identify routes that criminals use while raiding because they are versed with the local terrains. If their interests were well taken care of, they would achieve more than they are doing as volunteers,” noted community grazing committee Chairperson Abikar Mohammed.
The elders proposed the establishment of a pool fund with contributions from national and county governments as well as the local Non-Governmental organizations to address the concern and ensure favourable working conditions for the reservists.
“Remuneration of reservists should not be a national government’s responsibility but a collective responsibility as they immensely contribute to the security of the counties. The local NGOs working on peace and security programs should also support as such is within the confines of what they do,” Council’s Secretary General Idle Hassan said.
The elders also want a joint operation center for reservists established to ensure swift and coordinated response to insecurity concerns.
“They should be settled in camps just like police officers and issued with tents and other necessities so that in the event there is an attack, response is timely and more coordinated that when everyone is working on their own,”
former Burat MCA Yarrow Hassan said.
The group decried rising insecurity incidents in Burat ward that had pushed many residents out of their homes for fear of their lives.
Businessman-cum-politician Osman Shariff faulted the state over failure to ensure lives and property of the pastoralists communities are protected as enshrined in the constitution.
“It is unfortunate that people have run away from their homes where there is enough water and pasture for their animals and now the area has been invaded by herders from neighbouring counties. I appeal for urgent intervention because thousands of families are at risk of losing their livelihood,” he said.
Mr Shariff also called on local leaders to facilitate erection of network masts in the area and other remote parts of the county to ensure timely reporting and response in case of attacks.
