Willis Otieno slams defence CS over Jubaland forces’ presence in Mandera
Outspoken constitutional lawyer Willis Otieno has raised alarm over the reported presence of Jubaland forces in Mandera County, accusing Kenya’s Defence leadership of neglecting its duty to protect the nation’s territorial integrity.
The outcry follows a statement by Mandera Governor Mohamed Khalif, confirming that foreign forces from Jubaland, a semi-autonomous region in Somalia, are already camped within Mandera, sparking fears of an illegal incursion and breach of sovereignty.
You might also like
“If Jubaland forces are already camped in Mandera as the Governor himself says, then instead of securing the border and defending Kenya’s territorial integrity, the CS for Defence is probably busy perfecting her art of press conferences and choreographed flag-waving,” Otieno stated in a X post on Monday, September 1, 2025.
Otieno criticised what he described as a Public Relations-driven approach to national security, suggesting that the Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya is more focused on appearances than action.
“She is more invested in PR than in boots on the ground,” he wrote.
He further lambasted the Defence Ministry’s passive stance, claiming the CS is preoccupied with ceremonial events while Kenyan citizens in Mandera are exposed to foreign military presence.
“In fact, she seems to spend her time attending luncheons, ribbon-cuttings, and reading tired speeches about ‘regional cooperation’, while Mandera residents are literally under foreign occupation,” Otieno remarked.
He warned that the presence of foreign troops within Kenyan territory, without parliamentary approval or public disclosure, raises serious constitutional and diplomatic questions.
The Jubaland invasion
Tension has been mounting for days in Mandera County over the presence of forces from Jubaland, one of the Federal States in Somalia.
Mandera Governor Mohamed Khalif, on Friday, August 29, 2025, raised alarm on the presence of the forces in the county, saying their continued stay threatens Kenya’s sovereignty and the lives of locals.
Addressing residents of Mandera, Governor Khalif called for President Ruto’s intervention, saying the county cannot be turned into a battleground for Somalia. Jubaland is a federal state in Somalia that acts as a buffer zone for Kenya.
“We have no interest in Somalia. The only interest we have in Somalia is peace. If there cannot be peace and only fighting, then we have no business involving ourselves in their internal affairs,” he said.
The county boss further said a training camp for the forces had been opened at B.P. One (Border Point One) Primary School, and the school had been closed to pupils.
“How do you close a public school and turn it into a military training camp? And some people want to do an exam next month. It is impossible. We are thus demanding for immediate relocation of Jubaland forces out of Mandera. I want to tell them, if we don’t do it, we’ll do it ourselves,” he added.
He said the government cannot close schools, water supply, and maim locals in the name of supporting a faction in Somalia.
“We are telling Defence CS Soipan Tuya that KDF must pull out of supporting Jubaland forces and must be pushed out of Mandera,” he added.
