MANDERA CONFLICT: INTER-AGENCY KENYA INITIAL RAPID ASSESSMENT (KIRA) REPORT

NORTHERN AID

16TH - 22ND JULY 2013

1

CONTEXT

Mandera County is one of the most tempestuous conflict prone zones in the entire North Eastern Kenya. Home to the pastoralist communities of the largely Somali ethnic group, the County, despite being sparsely populated, continues to witness conflicts exacerbated by dwindling pasture and water resources, local politics (Ethnicisation of politics), Land and cross-border dynamics such as the continued proliferation of small arms and light weapons along the areas neighboring Ethiopia and Somalia.

The division of the local Somali population into four major sub-clans comprising of the Garreh, Degodia, Murrule and the ‘Corner tribe’ also continues to undermine peaceful co-existence as each group fights for both political and economic supremacy. However, the current spate of conflicts between the two communities has had political undertones linked to the devolution process and the outcome of March 4 th

2013 General Election.

The violence has also taken a cross-border dimension with relatives of the two communities in Ethiopia engaging in retaliatory attacks in support of their kin in Kenya. There is currently a fragile ceasefire in place on the Ethiopian side. Deliberate efforts to foster lasting peace have been undertaken by leaders from the feuding clans. In the month of June, both the County Commissioner and the Governor traversed Mandera County and met all opinion leaders. The government has also beefed up security though not adequate in the most volatile Sub-Counties of Banissa and Mandera North.

The protracted conflict has resulted in the death of ninety-five (95)1 people with one hundred and four (104)2 others sustaining various injuries. Seventy-five persons (75)3 were referred for further medical treatment. The conflict has seen a total of seven-thousand, three hundred and eighty-five (7385)4

households (51,695persons) displaced across the four (4) most affected Sub-Counties namely Banissa, Mandera West, Mandera North and Mandera South. Over four hundred and fifty three (453)5 houses were burnt down across the County.

Sub-County Total displaced(HH)

Deaths Casualties Referrals

Mandera South 1786 3 2 1Mandera West 828 8 5 9Banissa 2544 43 48 44Mandera North 2,227 41 49 21Total 7385 95 104 75

Background

Mandera County is situated in the Arid and Semi-arid Lands (ASALs) and comprises one of the three Counties of North -Eastern Kenya. There are six (6) administrative districts namely Mandera West, Banissa, Mandera North, Mandera East, Mandera South and Lafey. The County has a population of 1,025,756 6 persons and covers 26,744 km2.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1-3, 5 Source: Kenya Red Cross, Mandera, 20134 Source: Assistant County Commissioner in all 4 Sub-Counties6 Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistic (KNBS), Census, 2009

2

Mandera is home to the Garre, Degodia, Murulle and “Corner tribe”, with majority of the population practicing pastoralism. Poverty levels stand at 87% 7 making it one of the poorest counties in Kenya.

There have been ethnic clashes between the Degodia and Garre communities in Mandera since February, 2012. The security situation in Mandera County has gradually deteriorated as inter-communal conflicts have persisted since March 2013. The major cause of recent inter clan violence in Mandera has been Ethnicisation of politics and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons from neighboring Ethiopia and Somalia.

Scope and Scale of Conflict

The genesis of the current spate of violence can be traced to the pre-election period on the 26 th February 2013. Inter-clan conflicts erupted in Rhamu (Mandera North) where twelve (12) people were killed and six (6)others seriously injured following seven separate incidents of armed attacks extending into early March, 2013. An estimated 7,000 people and un-identified number of livestock were displaced from the area resulting in massive disruption of community livelihoods. Most of the affected communities fled to areas perceived to be ‘their’ ethnic strongholds and have since been dependent on humanitarian assistance. A total of fifty-one (51)8 settlements have been deserted in Banissa, Mandera West and Mandera North.

The month of June 2013, recorded the highest number of incidences of sustained sporadic attacks. On 11th June 2013, six (6) people including 2 teachers and a medic were killed at a place called Qoqay, a few kilometers from Wargadud after the vehicle they were travelling in was sprayed with bullets. The vehicle was heading to Takaba. On 13th June 2013, a family moving its herds from Burmayo toward Shimbir Fatuma was attacked and four members killed. The fatalities comprised of two grown up women and two young children.

On 22nd June, 2013 at 6.00 am, there was a militia attack at Guba village in Malkamari division of Banissa district. The attack left four (4) people dead among them one combatant and two casualties. On the same day, there was another attack in Choroqo village in Malkamari division of Banissa district, just 12 kilometers from Guba. The clashes at Choroqo left two people seriously injured as a result of sustaining gunshots.

On the 23rd of June 2013, there was attack in Choroqo village in Malkamari division of Banissa district. The 8.00 am attack led to the death of sixteen (16) people among them four (4) children who were burnt to ashes in their house. A total of eighteen (18) casualties were referred for further treatment while twenty-one (21)9 houses were torched in the early morning attack.

On the 29th of June, 2013 there was a retaliatory attack in Shirshir village, in a dawn attack carried out by militias where three (3) people were killed and another Two (2) seriously injured. A total of twenty (20) 10

houses were completely burnt.

On the same day, two militia groups clashed in Malkamari, a border town, on the Ethiopia side resulting in unaccounted deaths and injuries of the combatants. On the 2nd of July, 2013 there was another militia attack in Malkamari town. Six (6) houses were burnt down and several families displaced from the area to Rhamu Dimtu.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7 Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistic Census report, 20098 Source-Assistant County Commissioners office (Mandera West and Banissa)9 Source: Kenya Red Cross, Mandera, 201310 Source: Kenya Red Cross, Mandera, 2013

3

Humanitarian Profile

The conflict experienced in the County has impacted negatively on the lives and livelihoods of the local population and especially pregnant and lactating women, children below five (5) years and other vulnerable groups such as the elderly. The over seven thousand (7385) households affected are currently being hosted by relatives or clansmen while others have been integrated into the host communities. However, the IDP’s at Bulla Wajir in Mandera South (Elwak) have set up their camp. In Rhamu Dimtu, the IDP’s are still living in Libin Girls’ Primary school and Harare (newly formed IDP camp).

In all the ten (10) sites visited in the four (4) Sub-Counties, high prevalence rate in diarrhea, Malaria and respiratory infection has been reported by Kenya Red Cross medical outreach teams. Though unverified, a good number of respondents blamed diarrhea cases on food aid given (Sorghum) and possibly on the water used from the contaminated water sources.

The Red Cross outreach team was able to compile the list of cases attended to as shown below:-

Summary of disease prevalence in the Month of May/June 2013

Sub county Cases

No. of patients treated

< 5 Years> 5 Years Total

Mandera South Malaria 14 27 41Watery diarhoea 51 83 134Acute Respiratory Infections 123 203 326Other diseases 291 302 593

Mandera West Malaria 9 22 31Watery diarhoea 152 171 323Acute Respiratory Infections 116 129 245Other diseases 302 194 496

Mandera North Malaria 42 71 113Watery diarhoea 181 205 386Acute Respiratory Infections 214 309 523Other diseases 516 394 910

Banissa Malaria 115 201 316Watery diarhoea 213 110 323Acute Respiratory Infections 402 452 854Other diseases 412 342 754

3153 32156,368

In terms of water safety and access, all the unprotected water sources (mainly earth pans) visited were evidently contaminated as both livestock and humans access them directly. There was also the polythene bag menace and use of areas around water pans for waste disposal. Most cases of diarrhea across the Sub-Counties were reported in children under the age of five years.

4

The pre-crisis data from the SMART survey conducted in Mandera South, West and Banisa indicated that the leading causes of morbidity were diarrhea (47.0%), acute respiratory infections (45.2%) and fever (32.6%)11

The community in Mandera North (Rhamu) practices extensive irrigation agriculture along the river Daua. The conflict has hindered farmers from accessing farm lands and as a result, they have lost crops to pests and wild-animals (Monkeys, Porcupines and Hyenas). The absence of farm owners from the farms has also created opportunities for vandals. Theft of farm tools and parts of the water generators is rampant. These are sold at a throw-away price as second hand spares. Banissa and Mandera West Sub-Counties practice rain-fed agriculture. The local community members were affected by insecurity and constant fear and could not engage in crop production. That situation will ultimately undermine the food security situation in the two Sub-Counties. Banissa was also affected by serious floods during the long April-May 201312 rains which washed away crops and farm tools and destroyed several earth pans and underground tanks

Many pastoralists’ families depend on milk and meat for daily nutrition. These two commodities are also sold in the local markets. Pastoral livelihoods were affected through movement of livestock from locations with good pasture browse and water to far places due to insecurity. That movement towards the border and far away from towns seriously hindered income at the household level from the sale of milk and livestock. The movement of livestock towards the border and far-away places also affects the nutrition level of children under five years who live in formal settlements such as towns where livestock are not reared/ kept.

In Kiliwehiri, Eymole, Didkuro and Shimbir Fatuma, pressure is mounting on the water sources and pasture. The congestion of livestock in one locality has been attributed to the emergence of a suspected ‘unknown’ livestock disease outbreak in Kiliwehiri, Eymole and Didkuro. The pastoralists have also reported increased abortion cases in not only goats, but also camels. The formerly thriving livestock trade has significantly dwindled due to lack of transport and fear of movement from one location to another in most of the sites.

Methodology

The assessment was undertaken by humanitarian organizations working in different parts of the County in collaboration with the respective key line ministries in each Sub-County. The participating organizations representing humanitarian organizations were The Kenya Red-Cross Society, Save the Children International (SCI), Northern Aid (NA), CARE-Kenya, Consortium of Cooperating partners (COCOP), National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) and ADCT. The key line ministries involved in each Sub-County were from Water, Health, Education, Livestock and Agriculture.

The enumerating teams from participating organizations were specialists drawn from Emergency Response, Coordination/Disaster Management, Data/Information management, Documentation, Food security, Veterinary and Natural resource management (NRM).

The participating teams were oriented on the tool for one full day with Primary data collection carried out in the field from 16th – 22nd July, 2013. The need for conducting KIRA assessment was born out of the need to understand the magnitude of the humanitarian situation and assess required response capacity.

Eight (8) sites (two in each Sub-County) were selected based on purposive sampling. Sixteen (16) Key informants Interviews (KII) and eight (8) community group discussions (CGD) were conducted.

-----------------------------------------------------------11Source: SCI, Smart survey-April 15-25th 201312Source: KRCS Flood Assessment report 2013

5

Direct observation method (DOM) and transect walk were also used during the assessment. Secondary data was availed by the Kenya Red-Cross, Save the Children (SCI), Government of Kenya (GoK) and from minutes of DSG coordination meetings held in the affected Sub-Counties. The team visited Bulla Wajir and Shimbir Fatuma in Mandera South, Did-Kuro and Bulla Ambal (Mandera West), Kiliwehiri and Eymole (Banissa), Rhamu town and Rhamu Dimtu (Mandera North). These locations were selected after consultations with the Sub-County officials. They were chosen because they bore the greatest brunt of the influx of the internally displaced persons.

The teams met every morning in the respective Sub-Counties to debrief before proceeding to the next location. The compilation of the report was done in Mandera East.

Thematic Map of Multi Agency KIRA Team Visited Sites

Mission Objective

To undertake multi-agency rapid assessment in line with the Kenya Initial Rapid Assessment (KIRA) process in order to:

1. Clearly understand the humanitarian situation and conflict impact on the affected communities and locations.

6

2. Consolidate and verify existing information in prioritizing needs and designing humanitarian response required.

3. Understand how different sectors and groups are affected and what needs to be done.

Priority Locations

The locations which have experienced the greatest negative impact as a result of the inter-clan conflicts are; Bulla Wajir, Did-Kuro, Kiliwehiri, Eymole and Rhamu Dimtu. They house the largest numbers of internally displaced persons with different sectors reeling under great pressure. For instance Bulla Wajir, a stand-alone camp lacks a single pit-latrine making the communities to dispose of their waste openly. The settlement still depends on water trucking. In Eymole and other parts of Banissa, there is urgent need for shelter as the Sub-County experiences very cold weather.

Immediate and Emerging Needs

The priority needs identified during the assessment are: - Food, Shelter/NFIs, Protection/Security and WASH. Among the respondents interviewed during focus group discussions and key informant interviews, were women of child-bearing age. Many expressed that they had to contend with barely one meal a day. Women with children below six months reported that they were not able to exclusively breast-feed because of reduced amounts of food and stress they under go through as IDP’s. The children were instead given sweetened water to appease their hunger pangs. Children who have attained the age of weaning cannot be adequately fed because the mothers lack dietary diversities. According to the nutrition SMART survey conducted in April 2013, before the escalation of the conflicts, only 29% (down from 53.85% in 2012) of children between 6-8 months were introduced to solid or semi-solid foods in Mandera South while only 28.1% (down from 65.6% in 2012) in Banissa and Mandera West. The numbers of children below five years of age admitted into Supplementary feeding program (SFP) and out-patient therapeutic program (OTP) declined significantly in Banissa and Mandera North compared to Mandera East between March and June 2013. This could be attributed to heightened security tensions since March resulting in inaccessibility of services to the vulnerable group.In Banissa and Mandera West, only five (5) out of eleven (11) health facilities were functional in the month of June 2013. (Annex-graphs- source SCI/IRK 2013 Nutrition data)

Compared to the male respondents, women’s responses indicated that their first priority was shelter. Overcrowding was reported in all the visited locations. One ‘herio’ could host up to six households. Women complained that there was insufficient privacy. In some areas like Kiliwehiri, Eymole, Shimbir Fatuma and Didkuro, the men had resorted to spending the nights in the open. In Rhamu Dimtu, the internally displaced persons are living under very deplorable conditions in the self-made camps, without protection from the scotching sun during the day and the biting cold at night.

The greater population affected by the conflict derive water from earth pans. These water sources are exposed to contamination from both humans and livestock. In Shimbir Fatuma and Eymole for instance, both humans and animals could be seen wading into the earth pans. Some people were seen bathing, while others were fetching water for household use. Animals were also seen defecating or peeing directly into the water sources.

During the focus group discussions and key informant interviews, the women asked to be provided with water purifiers. They associated the increased cases of diarrhea to the consumption of contaminated water. During the transect walks, it was observed that the sampled locations either had very limited number of latrines or none at all.

7

The areas which had few pit latrines were experiencing congestion. The social amenities were filling up very fast.

As a result, many resorted to open defecation. Bulla Wajir, Eymole, Kiliwehiri, Harare and Didkuro had no latrine facilities. The recently concluded April SMART survey indicates that 53.3% of the respondents in Mandera West/Banisa and 56.2% in Mandera South had no access to a toilet facility. Most reported to be using the bush while the rest were using the open field behind the houses. The continued use by especially the displaced households in settlement by hosts has seen rise in domestic conflict between women over the pit-latrines as the owners cited that they got filled up quickly.

In the sites visited, gender and protection issues were visible. The shelters are tarpaulin sheets that are open and expose women, girls and children to security and safety concerns. Both men and women expressed fear or incidence of human-wildlife conflict, the cold weather as well as issues of privacy as their biggest concern. Currently, mostly children and women sleep inside the shelter and men outside. In most Villages there were households hosting other families. Men in the community mentioned how the overcrowding meant that they had to share space with their young daughters, which made them feel ‘awkward’. The gender specific facilities in terms of safe toilets and bathing spaces were absent in all the sites.

The internally displaced persons from Wagberi in Wajir County feel very unsafe to return to their former homes and livelihoods. The respondents from Malkamari division residing in Rhamu Dimtu also feel very insecure and anticipated to stay much longer in their present locations because of the traumatic experiences they had endured. Many IDP households are planning to go back if the government ensures security is restored. Majority need psychological trauma counseling for children and adults especially in Mandera North and Banissa. There is need for tracing and re-uniting some children with their family members who are still held up in Wajir. In Rhamu Dimtu, 2 women reported not to know the whereabouts of their spouses since the onset of clashes in Choroqo area. It is worth-mentioning that some IDPs are voluntarily returning back to their homes in few areas like Darwed, Awacho-sambur and Afalo in Mandera West.

During the assessment period, the teachers were on strike and as such all the schools were closed. However, it was reported that most parents had delegated livestock herding to their school-going children and as such, many pupils dropped out of school. Prior to the teachers’ strike, many schools had experienced an influx of displaced children and were finding it difficult to cope with the mounting pressure on limited amenities. In Banisa district for instance, only (3) three out of (20) twenty schools are functional.

The ‘madrassas’ are being used to conduct lessons. The scenario may only change if the displaced people feel secure enough to return to their former homes. In Rhamu Dimtu, the internally displaced people from Choroqo, Guba, Sarman, Tarbey and Murithow have camped at Libin Girls’ Primary school. There have been about (3) three cases of early marriage as a livelihood option. In Rhamu Dimtu, Bulla Wajir, Eymole and Kiliwehiri, orphans and unaccompanied children were reported including widows and widowers.

The IDPs in Bulla Wajir received a donation of iron sheets from Save the Children. The community used the materials to construct a temporary ECD that was being run by two volunteer un-trained teachers who completed their ‘O’ levels last year. The temporary structure was found to be very unsafe for the children.

8

Cross-Cutting Issues From data analysis(with a sample of 30% of all collected questionnaires per Sub-County), it was evident that different genders had different priority needs, with 35% of male respondents mentioning food as number one, followed by security at 25% and Health at 15 %. Women had shelter as their number one priority at 35% followed by food and WASH at 29% and 8% respectively. Pregnant and lactating women as well as children below five years were the most affected. Many elderly people were either too weak or too sick. Many had lost their sole bread-winners and were depending on the generosity of other internally displaced persons. Others had sustained injuries and were nursing wounds.

WashFo

odHealth

Shelte

r/NFIs

Livelih

ood

Resettlement/Secu

rity

05

10152025303540

13

35

15

84

25

8

29

0

38

2 4

GENDER PRIORITY NEEDS RANKING

Priority Issues Ranking Male(%)Priority Issues Ranking Female(%)

SECTOR

NO

OF

RESP

ON

DEN

TS(%

)

The lack of livelihood opportunities coupled with loss of productive assets in displaced households has forced many internally displaced households to resort to some environmental degradation activities such as cutting trees for charcoal production, firewood or timber for sale in town.

It was also evident that all the IDP’s want to go back, if security is improved and guaranteed. The only group which was reluctant to go back in all the sites visited was the IDP’s from Wajir.

It has also emerged that the closure of schools (during the nation-wide teachers strike) has pushed the cost of food in most households on the higher side as the school feeding programme has not been active. The children are said to have been beneficiaries of the school-feeding program and now relied solely on the food prepared within the household. The male respondents for the Community Group discussions (CGD) complained that the presence of children and congestion within the household was a hindrance to spousal intimacy and respective reproductive roles.

On Aid delivery, most of the respondents cited the issue of aid insufficiency. The gaps have been severally deliberated upon in various subsequent emergency meetings held by respective District Steering Groups and the lack of enough funding

9

Response Capacity: Summary of overall capacity to respond

The protracted conflicts have weakened the local communities’ capacities. Various households have resorted to adopting harmful coping practices. 83 % of the respondents have reported to be selling their assets, followed by reduced food intake and borrowing money at 78% and 56 % respectively. Cases of reduced food intake by adults stand at 44 % while another 33% of the respondents reported to have changed their diet.

Borrowing m

oneyChange

s in diet

sellin

g asse

ts

adults

reducin

g food in

take

Reducin

g food in

take

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

56%

33%

83%

44%

78%

TOP FIVE COPING STRATEGIES

TOP FIVE COPING STRATEGIES Percentage

In Shimbir Fatuma, three (3) cases of early marriages of young girls of school-going age were reported. In Shimbir Fatuma, women were also seen operating open air butcheries and selling uninspected meat which could endanger the lives of the consumers.

In Bulla Wajir, the internally displaced women joined hands and formed an income-generating venture, where women engage in merry go round and buying goods and other food stuff on wholesale and share within respective households. The camp has a 10,000litres capacity water tank donated last year by Save the Children. During the short November- December rains, the tank was filled with rain water. Afterwards, the water was being sold at Kshs 20 per every 20litre jerican. The proceeds from the sale of water were then used in hiring water bowser to refill the tank.

The Office of the President has also been at the forefront in coordinating humanitarian efforts in conjunction with KRCS through the Sub-County disaster committee in the affected Sub-Counties to help them map out highly vulnerable locations and avoid duplication of services.

10

National Response Capacity

Various agencies have responded to the needs of the internally displaced persons since the escalation of the conflict. That had been accomplished through distributions of food, shelter, non-food items, fuel subsidies and medical outreaches. Kenya Red Cross has distributed a total of 3709 NFI kits across the four Sub-Counties and food to 10,048 households.

KRCS staff attending victims at Choroqo

A further 8,626 people have received medical services through the KRCS medical outreaches.KRCS also donated pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceuticals to Rhamu district hospital and carried out referral of casualties from all parts of the County since May last year including air-referrals. Tracing services and psycho-social support were also conducted.

The Office of the president through the County Commissioner’s office handed over 1200 bags of rice (50Kg), 400 bags of beans and 100 cartons of oil to Kenya Red Cross for distribution. The County government had also handed-over food worth kshs. 5 million to Kenya Red Cross for distribution.NDMA had supported fuel subsidy(7140 litres) and NFI for (600)six hundred households and distribution done in conjunction with KRCS.MSF-Belgium have conducted NFIs distribution in Olla, Eymole and Kiliwehiri and was also conducting medical out-reaches in affected areas.

WFP through the cooperating partner COCOP assisted 5000 persons affected by the clashes with one month’s food rations. The total quantity of food that was distributed to the affected persons was 45 MT and 3.0MT of cereals (Maize) and Vegetable oil respectively. The usual General food distribution (GFD) and Food for asset (FFA) projects were distributed for the last two months and the displaced beneficiaries were targeted in their new settlements. A total of 115,500 (GFD: 87,678 and FFA: 27822) beneficiaries were targeted respectively.

Save the Children International (SCI) donated two hundred and fifty (250) assorted shelter and non-food items which were distributed by KRCS in Rhamu. One hundred assorted shelter and non-food items were distributed in Lulis settlement (Banissa) May 2013. The gaps for basic household items and food are still glaring and require concerted efforts by all stakeholders to respond adequately.

In follow-up of assessment in Rhamu by KRCS, Acted-Kenya supported the re-construction of the roofing’s of one hundred residential houses in Rhamu.

Response Priorities

So far, the emergency responses have been outstripped by the ever increasing needs of both the displaced and host communities. There was need for more interventions from the government and humanitarian agencies to save lives and protect livelihoods from complete collapse considering the frequency of emergency in the County.

The most affected sectors across the eight (8) sites assessed are food security and livelihoods. That was as a result of insufficient food stocks in the Market and significant changes in market prices due to interruptions in the supply chain. The high transport cost reported across the different sites equally stretched up the cost of goods and services. Shelter was also urgently required as over-crowding and the issue of privacy was reported across all the sites. There was urgent need of food items and other relief intervention that could help the communities to restart/continue their livelihood activities.

11

The WASH sector had also been severely affected through water source contamination by both human and livestock activities around it.Kiliwehiri host community reported that water scarcity was likely to be experienced sooner than they had anticipated. In Takaba town, 2 water-pans out of the 3 had dried up and the communities were now preparing to ration water use. Polythene bags, plastics and other worn out materials were found in all water pans across the four Sub-counties. To protect, the water sources especially from contamination, mapping all the water sources in the Sub-Counties for fencing and distribution of water purifying chemicals to households was a priority.

Constraints

The two biggest constraints that hindered successful response operation was lack of funding to intervene across all sectors. Except for the shelter/NFI’s kits, medical out-reaches and foods distributed by Kenya Red Cross, other sectors have remained out of focus.

Inaccessibility for humanitarian workers in some parts of Mandera North and Banissa had affected timely response and other regular on-going programmes. Humanitarian workers from one community cannot access or travel to areas perceived as strong-holds of the opposing camps due to fear of attack.

Recommendations

Humanitarian crises was evident in all the sites with food, WASH, and shelter remaining as the immediate priority needs across the four Sub-Counties. There was also need for stronger early recovery and long term development projects to reduce disaster impacts, strengthen resilience for overall improvement in the living conditions of the pastoralist’s communities. There was also need for capacity building of the County government in terms of contingency planning and response in light of frequent disasters that affect the County.

Other recovery needs in the affected sub-counties is as highlighted below:-

FOOD

Food had been ranked as the key priority in areas where the assessment was conducted, there was thus need to provide food to all displaced population.

NON- FOOD ITEMS

Provision of NFIs to displaced populations who have not benefitted from previous allocations.

WASH

Up-scaling of hygiene and sanitation promotion services across all the Sub-Counties considering latrine coverage in Mandera West and Banissa that stood at 31 % and 17% respectively. Despite Elwak having 38% latrine coverage, Bulla Wajir had no single pit-latrine. Rhamu Dimtu IDP camps had no single toilet facilities, while Shimbir Fatuma had 15 % pit-Latrine coverage.PHAST training and cascading to all affected areas by the clashes. There was also need for distribution of water purifiers in all sites as most households accessed water from community pans that were open. There was also need for supporting boreholes with fuel and particularly increase yield capacity e.g. Olla borehole had the capacity to serve the large number of IDPs present but lacked tanks and troughs for livestock. There was need to truck water to water stressed areas where displaced communities were returning voluntarily.

12

HEALTH

There was urgent need for more medical staff, medical and pharmaceutical supplies to cater for the increasing needs of the IDPs and host communities around Banissa Sub-District hospital, Shimbir Fatuma, Eymole and Rhamu Dimtu dispensaries. A plan to upscale disease surveillance and management ought to be put in place for Diarrhea, Dengue Malaria and Acute respiratory infections (ARC) to avoid further humanitarian crises.There was need to conduct integrated medical outreach in hard to reach areas for the displaced population.

LIVELIHOODS

Provision of capital grants and restocking for families that lost their business enterprise’s and herds respectively. There was also urgent need of providing farmers in Banissa and Rhamu with seeds and farm inputs to enable them continue producing food.

CAPACITY BUILDING OF DPC/COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Initiate post-conflict engagement between the two communities to enhance peace building and trust as well as capacity building for the District Peace Committees (DPCs) to promote early warning information across all the Sub-Counties. There was also need for building capacity of the County team on issues of disaster and response planning.

RE-CONSTRUCTION OF SHELTERS

453 houses had been burnt in various parts of the County and thus the need to re-construct the houses through provision of building materials to the affected communities.

EDUCATION

Looting of food was reported in many schools, thus the need to enhance the school feeding programme in all the affected schools.Provision of classroom tents to areas hosting displaced pupils e.g. Shimbir Fatuma, Takaba, Banissa, Kutulo, Rhamu Dimtu,Kalicha.Construction of pit latrines for schools facing congestion as a result of hosting other displaced schools.

NUTRITION

The GAM rates from the April SMART survey are slightly above the emergency threshold at 16.2% (GAM-15%). Mass screening of children below five years and pregnant and lactating women is paramount.

KIRA TOOL

Revision of the KIRA tool to include children below eighteen years for purposes of capturing children’s specific needs in an emergency situation.

13

A PEACEFUL COUNTY FOR A HEALTHY AND

EDUCATED PEOPLE

14