Wajir conflict: Inter-Agency Kenya Initial Rapid Assessment (KIRA) Report
JULY 2013
CONTEXT
Mandera County is and has been in the past one of the most turbulent conflict prone zones in the entire North Eastern Kenya that also have a significant impact on neighbouring Wajir County as well as on border areas with Somalia and Ethiopia.
Home to the pastoralist communities of the largely Somali ethnic group, the County, despite being sparsely populated, continues to witness conflicts exacerbated by diminishing pasture and water resources, local 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 several major sub-clans comprising of the Garreh, Degodia and Murrule tribe also continued to undermine peaceful co-existence as each group fights for both political and economic supremacy. However, the current wave of conflicts between the two communities (Garre and Degodia) has had political undertones linked to the devolution process and the outcome of March 4th 2013 General Election.
Background
The latest clashes between two major clans have been going on for over two months now and it spilled over to Wajir County along the border of Wajir and Mandera County, along Takaba of Mandera and Gunana of Wajir. The recent conflict has resulted in 6 deaths so far, among them 3 men, 2 women and 1 Kenya police reservist as well as several casualties. Dearth of livestock has also been reported within the conflict area of Gunana and Burmayo.
Houses have been burnt in Gunana and Burmayo and also vandalism of water structures has been reported within Burmayo. The villages that are currently completely deserted due to the conflict include Gunana, Burmayo and Ogorale.
Massive displacement of population as a result of security and fear of being attacked also took place in the neighboring locations of Basanicha, Dunto, Gunana and Batalu. The population moved to Sarman, Badia (bush) and Eldas District for safety.
Tension is still very high although there is presence of security personnel in the affected areas.
The population of the affected villages settled at Sarman, Mansa and Wargadud locations in uncoordinated migratory patterns. This prompted to organize more coordinated and common assessment among all agencies/sectors that has necessitated the use of KIRA tool.
At the Interagency Coordination meeting that took place in Wajir on July 17, it has been decided to conduct joint assessment in order to have more in depth analysis of humanitarian needs of affected population.
Three Teams were formed in order to assess the situation in three locations (attached the list with the team’s composition).
The data was collected on 23rd July 2013
Humanitarian Profile and Locations
a) Sarman is a location in Tarbaj District, 90KM north of Wajir town. It has an approximate population of 7,800 in the last census. Currently Sarman is hosting 1069 household that were displaced from the affected villages this households live in unstructured camps.
The settlement is located N-02.53274 and E-039.95990 with elevation of 418 m above sea level.
There are 1069 households who are camping in the peripheries of the Sarman village (approx 1km away from the centre of the village). They are accommodated in congested tents while others have no access to the temporary shelters. They have no access to sanitary facilities and they are using open defecation a means of sanitation. Access to portable and safe water is also a problem.
b) The displaced population in Wargadud is composed of a large vulnerable village of makeshift shelters and is made up of 175 households of approximately 1000 people.
The settlement is located 17km East of Eldas and approximately 1km from the host Communities (Wargadud), N.02 29 454 3 and E .039.41 53 24 with elevation of 424.3m above sea level.
This Population settled on 6th July, 2013 when the first migrating population settled there and the number has been increasing since then. The increasing population is further influenced by looking for closest kin to depend on for their sustenance.
c) In Mansa, population was displaced (number of HH missing) with no shelter, settled initially in camp but later dispersed from the camps and are now being hosted by Mansa residents. They dispersed from the camps due to fear to be attacked while settled in the camps.
Mansa is located N 02.53209 and E 040.22343 in Tarbaj District of Wajir County.
Methodology
The assessment was undertaken by humanitarian organizations working in Wajir County in collaboration with the respective key line ministries.
The participating organizations were NDMA, MoH, MoE, ALDEF, KRCS, Wajir Peace, Save The Children, Oxfam, IRW, Mercy Corps.
The participating teams were oriented on the KIRA tool for one day prior to the assessment.
Direct observation method (DOM) and transect walk were also used during the assessment. Secondary data was availed by the Kenya Red Cross and other partner agencies operating in Wajir as well as from minutes of Interagency coordination meetings held in Wajir and chaired by Wajir County Governor’s Office.
Immediate and Emerging Needs
Sarman
Shelter
The entire population came with no shelter nor shelter materials since all their belongings were burnt down. Some of them are using tents as shelter and other have no access to it.
Water
Two days before the assessment the IDPs were using piped water (tap) in the school but since the schools were re-open following 3 weeks strike, they can no longer share water with the students. They have to fetch it from the earth pan and they face challenges as they have no means to ferry water from the source (no donkey carts and wheel barrows).
There’s not enough water storage containers and they are using single buckets per household.
Water is prone to contamination at three stages which is at source, during transportation and storage. There was queue at the main water point.
Sanitation & Hygiene
There were no sanitary facilities seen within the displaced population and they majorly relied on open defecation which was observed by the assessment team, no single latrine seen in the vicinity.
No indictors of hygiene promotion observed i.e. no proper disposal of human excreta, no hand washing facilities, not enough water stored for personal hygiene, soap for hand washing not seen. Garbage and waste was seen. Disabled persons, children under five and elderly were the most vulnerable groups in this sector. There was no suitable place for women to bathe.
Health
The host community had one health facility and the IDP were provided with mobile clinic by MoH. At the time of the assessment women accessing maternal, antenatal and post-natal services were not observed.
The reported diseases among the population included URTI, Diarrhea Diseases, Flu and Malaria. In view of the Prevailing Conditions there was the danger of contracting skin infections and worms’ infestations.
Lack of female medical personnel to address specific issues of women and girls were stressed by community. There was issue of lack of transport to health clinic.
Education
Education activities have been affected by the event, schools were closed, students and teachers have been displaced. Both islamic and secular education disrupted and teaching materials were burnt down. There is one primary school in the host community with population of 474 pupils but the head teacher enrolled an additional of 250 pupils from the displaced areas. School aged girls and boys were observed out of school during school hours in the IDP camps. There were separate toilets for boys and girls but no provision for the teachers and no proper waste management. School feeding programme was maintained.
Security
There is perceived fear of attack amongst the displaced population. However, there’s no recent incident or casualty reported in the area.
No security personnel seen at the time of assessment in the area.
No network coverage in the area; IDPs rely on community leaders and other government officers in information dissemination.
Food security and livelihoods
There was impact on income as the result of forced displacement. Livelihood assets were lost or left behind, destroyed and looted. Some of the of the coping mechanisms reported were migration for safety, changing in diets, adults reducing food intake to feed children and change to economic roles in the family. Most of them relied on assistance from the host population. Food situation in the community become worse due to not enough food available and high food prices in the market.
The community reported that their voucher cards for general food distribution were burnt during the violence.
Non Food items
Essential household items were needed as result of the event. Some NFIs were provided by NGOs but still there is a gap. The community mentioned the need of rakes and wheel barrows for waste management and mattock for digging of graves.
Priority Needs and Team recommendations:
1. Provision of more NFIS to the beneficiaries
2. Provision of wheel barrow/donkey carts to ferry water and improvement of the capacity of water storage tanks in the school to accommodate the IDPS
3. Provision of shelter (tents) for those who don’t have any shelter
4. Hygiene promotion to be emphasized
5. Additional health outreach beside the mobile clinic
6. Provision of rakes and other materials for solid waste management
7. The area chiefs to liaise with the registration office to provide new identification cards (lost during forced displacement)
8. Construction and reconciliation including return to home formula
Wargadud
Shelter
The entire population came with no shelter materials including household equipments since all their belongings were burnt down in Burmayo and Gunana locations.
Children sleep on pieces of cloth and grass with some households using improvised gunny bags with no mosquito nets
It was reported that youth sleep under one make-shift on a bare ground and in some instances one make-shift accommodates more than one family which has a bearing on privacy.
Water
The current water source is unprotected earth pan situated in Alalati area, 12kms from Wargadud settlement. The water is contaminated with animal and human waste; the same is evident in a sample of water found in one of the households. The displaced population has no enough storage containers and donkey carts for transportation and they rely on host community.
The community consumes the water without any treatment or coagulation hence risking lives of the consumers.
The community was denied access to Anole earth Pan as water in the pan is not adequate to accommodate the displaced population and the existing settlements i.e. Anole & Wargadud.
The community has no storage tanks for water even if trucking of water was to be done today.
Sanitation & Hygiene
There were no sanitary facilities seen within the displaced population and they majorly relied on open defecation which was also observable during the transect walk within the settlement. The existing settlement (Wargadud) which is approximately 1-1.5km away had only six (6) sanitary facilities for institutions i.e. School and Mosque which were also far apart.
Communities displayed little know-how since most of them could not understand the importance of basic hygiene.
Health
Safe deliveries and child birth are in very difficult situations void of shelter, other basic needs and the availability of essential maternal & child care services.
The reported diseases among the population included URTI, Diarrhoea and Malaria. In view of the prevailing conditions there was the danger of contracting skin infections and worms’ infestations.
The only dispensary in the catchment area and which approximately is 1km from the site is not operational hence has no drugs and personnel available.
Education
There are a total of 30 children from Burmayo & Gunana. The children are in standard seven and below.
Both religious and secular education is disrupted and since then the children were not taken to the nearest school which is approximately 1.5km, since the schools were closed due to the recent teachers strike and were only re-opened a day before the assessment.
The existing school in Wargadud location is up to standard five so there is limitation in terms of placement forcing them to take some of their children to Anole which is approximately 3.5kms and has senior upper classes.
Some of the older children were sent outside in search for gum and firewood and this subjects them to be involved in child labour and other child right abuses.
Security
There is perceived fear of attack. Wild animals and snakes and other predatory menace is however the most immediate risk.
There were no security officers visible in the area and men kept vigil at night as there were reports of people who were not accounted for after the incident and at least one mother reported kidnapped in the event of the conflict.
Fear and traumatic experiences were evidently noticeable in the faces of many and particularly children.
Movement around the site and its vicinity was normal though people expressed fear of attacks from other people and wildlife. Some of the road networks were reported as inaccessible due to insecurity. Return and movement to the former destination was reported as unsafe.
The area is covered by Safaricom network, however most of the information is received and linked through contact with other people and community leaders.
Food Security & Livelihoods
The source of livelihood for the displaced community was collection of firewood and gum Arabica. The quantity of gum Arabica (Habag Hagar) one can harvest in a day was approximated to be 2kgs which goes for 80 KHS per kg at Eldas Market. The same is taken to Eldas which is located 17kms by foot. The collection of firewood was hampered by lack of donkey carts for transportation to the market.
The assessment team has not seen any evidence of cattle, goats and camel in the homestead. No sign of livestock bomas witnessed neither was there a sign of fire suggesting that cooking was done communally.
A transect walk across the settlement sampled a number of households for assessment of household food stock clearly indicated that no food stocks in the household were found.
Priority Needs and Team recommendations:
It emerged from the discussions that the priority needs for the displaced population were as follows: