MANDERA CONFLICTS HUMANITARIAN NEEDS ASSESSMENT. Mandera is an arid county situated on the northern tip of Kenya’s boundary with Somalia and Ethiopia. The primary economic activity is livestock pastoralism with cross border trade in Mandera town. The county is hot with mean annual average temperatures of 300C, maximum 370C. Rainfall is scanty and unpredictable averaging at 255mm6 The main economic activities are pastoralism in Mandera East and Central, Irrigated cropping on the northeastern of Mandera East bordering Ethopia and Agro-pastorals in Mandera West. The population of Mandera County is 2.7% of the Kenyan populations with 54.6% male and 45.4% female. Mandera Town is the largest urban population center with a population of 9%, Rhamu 3%, Elwak 2% and Takaba 2% of Mandera population (CRA 2012) It has a population density of 988.2 which is 40.6% higher than the national population density of 401.1 per square kilometer see Table 1 with a population of 39 people per square KM The average household size is 8.2, 53.7% larger than the national average household size of 4.4. Mandera is one of the poorest counties, ranked at 46/47 with a poverty rate of 89.1%, 43.2% higher than the national poverty rate. Context Mandera County is one of the most tempestuous conflict prone zones in the North Eastern Kenya. Proliferation of small arms and light weapons, Inter-Clan conflicts especially among the Degodia and Garre on resource sharing e.g. water, pasture, Terrorism by militia groups e.g. Al Shabab and Land disputes are the main security concern in the County. Tension started building up in the Month of March along the Mandera-Wajir border, of close proximity to Burmayo, the main cause of the tension was merely dispute over territorial boundary between the two counties. This led to the County government and national government intervening through inter-county peace dialogues however the build-up of tension between the two clans heightened leading to various incidences. SCOPE/SCALE OF DISPLACEMENT. Tension started building up in the Month of March along the Mandera-Wajir border, of close proximity to Burmayo, the main cause of the tension was merely dispute over territorial boundary between the two counties. The fragile peace effort by the Government and other stakeholders was disrupted by attacks and counter-attacks by the warring clans leading to movement of population. Children, women and elderly people were affected the most by the conflict, in terms of displacement, trauma of loss, and deprivation of the essential building blocks to live a dignified life. Children have dropped out of school, food insecurity, malnutrition, lack of access to basic health facilities for fled families are the main challenges. The table below show’s casualties and deaths as from 15th May 2014; DATE PLACE OF INCIDENT CASAULTIES DEATH 13/5/2014 Burmayo - 3 14/5/2013 3 km’s from Elwak(Bus 28 3 accident) 15/5/2014 Towfiq- Rhamu 5 5 16/5/2014 Gunana 1 1 19/5/2014 Manyatta 4 km’s - 4 3 Takaba 21/5/2014 18 km’s away from 1 1 Guba-Banisa sub- county. 28/5/2013 karsahama 5 2 The clan conflicts in the County have further been compounded by increased attack’s by the al-shaabab militia mainly in Mandera town and parts of Lafey Sub-County. Attack on Mandera-Lafey road and Car- jacking also increased during the Month of May as shown in the template below; DATE PLACE OF INCIDENT CASAULTIES DEATH 6/4/2014 County revenue barrier - - near Moi Girls Secondary and Barwaqo revenue barrier 11/4/2014 Mandera Town 1 - Administrator’s office 2/5/2014 KPLC power plant - - 2 Alshabab Mandera militias 17/5/2014 Mandera police station - - 19/5/2014 Lethi - Arabia 6 12 28/5/2013 Ledhi -Arabia 1 2 Despite the Incidences as a result of happening mainly in Mandera-West and South, there was high movement of population from neighboring sub-Counties like Banisa to areas believed to be safe zone. The build of fears was caused by the protracted conflicts, the need to go far away from the border areas of Wajir County and moving away with livestock which was also targeted by the attacking groups. The table below shows the population displaced as a result of the conflicts from four sub-counties: SUB-COUNTY WARD IDP HOUSEHOLD SHIMBIR FATUMA Burmayo north 291 burmayo south 282 MANDERA SOUTH Garse dam 84 Warido 67 Tutes 62 Wargadud Quramadow 150 SukelaTinfa 150 ERES Kinto 100 HarSanga 100 Buke 100 HarAdi 71 Fincharo 46 Qalanqalesa 53 Dololo 38 Kobadadi 37 TOTAL 1631 fincharo Kutayu 75 Nyatalio 30 Qalanqalesa 30 Dololo 40 Egu 40 QarsaDimu 40 TOTAL 255 DANDU WARD Dandu 250 MANDERA WEST Kubihalo 385 Didkuba 85 Kharsahama 175 Masho 50 Abokofe 50 Harbuyu 175 TOTAL 1170 TAKABA SOUTH Didkuro 398 Bolowle 125 Gulani 38 SukelaKuli 96 Itilale 30 Duduble 250 Wayaamdera 41 Kobadadi B 95 Wangaidahan 200 Kotkoto 50 Har billow 58 Qoqaye 33 Qordobo 43 TOTAL 1457 LAGSURE WARD AwachoSambur 197 Afalo 130 Darweed 200 Lagsure North 257 Donqay 68 DiriBadana 96 Lag Karo 94 TOTAL 1042 DERKALE WARD Derkale 400 Kukub 350 Tarama 300 Burashuum 200 Goljo 400 Dirbor 250 Wara 200 QoroboAbero 250 Duke 200 TOTAL 2550 GITHER WARD Burduras 15 Dandu 9 Chiracha 10 Takaba 6 Sake 20 Arda Halo 10 TOTAL 70 BANISSA WARD Mata arba 70 Merille 150 BANISSA WARD Chiracha 150 Lamajir 60 Yatani 140 Hardawa 120 Ogonicho 70 Qalim 50 Rukesa 40 Jilomarsa 50 GoolboOmacho 40 Malkaruqaidps 293 Haigurach 30 TOTAL 1263 GUBA WARD Tarbey 50 QodQud 45 Choroqo 150 Murathelo 60 Ramudimtu 250 ola 200 Murutho 40 TOTAL 645 KILIWAHERI WARD Urille 80 Gesrebki 120 Chabi 120 ArdaGarse 50 TOTAL 370 MALKAMARI WARD Doomal 100 Malkamari 150 AdaaGabicha 60 TOTAL 310 GRAND TOTAL 10763 Humanitarian Profile Inter-communal conflict between the Garre and Degodia clans of the Somali community in Mandera compounded by increased al-shaabab attacks has left over 15 people dead and 13 injured as a result of the clan conflicts and 16 people died and 8 injured as a result of al-shaabab attacks, over 64,578 persons (10,763 house-holds) displaced since May 2014. In terms of water safety and access, the main water sources in the county for both domestic and livestock include boreholes, water pans and River-Daua. 39.6% of the population has access to safe water, 14.5% lower than the national population who has access to safe water. The average distance to the nearest water source is 20KMs and only 11% of the population have access to portable water point ( FS statistics).The areas heavily affected by the conflict(Mandera-West and Banisa) mainly rely on water pans as their main source of water, the county have realized rains below normal during the long rains. Banisa and Takaba received rains as compared to other parts however due to high in-migration from other parts of the County and Southern Ethiopia, most water pans have dried up and pasture depleted. various sites visited during assessment reported shortage of water with areas like Takaba reporting increase in water prices (A drum of water was kshs. 100 during normal time and went up to sh.300 after the high population influx).Women and children were observed moving long distances carrying 20 liters jerrican of water in Sake area during the transect drive. The entire county is food insecure and it’s classified on the stressed phase of food insecurity (IPC Phase 2). Factors affecting food security in the County include consecutive poor rainfall performance, reduced household livestock holdings due to cumulative livestock mortalities, Successive crop failure particularly in the agro-pastoral zone. Depletion of pasture, and browse, Poor recharge of temporary water sources. The displaced population in all the sites visited has not moved with food items due and other house-hold belongings due to lack of transport thus relying on host communities and depleting the scarce available resources. Mass in migration before the on-set of the clashes has depleted the resources of Mandera-West and Banisa sub-counties, the clashes have worsened the situation by concentrating in small areas perceived to be safe zone thus impacting negatively on food security. The NDMA May monthly bulletin classified the County at alarm stage with the situation worsening. Targeting of livestock by attackers through spraying bullets led to pastoralists fleeing with their livestock towards the Ethiopian border. An elder reported having lost six (6) of his camels during the Karsahama attack remaining with only one (1) camel. Mission Objective 1. Clearly understand the humanitarian situation and conflict impact on the affected communities and locations. 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. 4. Understand how different groups are affected and establish their priority needs; 5. Highlight key priorities and gaps for the purposes of resource mobilization and advocacy. Priority Locations The locations which have experienced the greatest negative impact as a result of the inter-clan conflicts are; Takaba, Sake, Kiliwehiri, Shimbir-fatuma, Olla and Rhamu Dimtu. They house the largest numbers of internally displaced persons with different sectors reeling under great pressure, for instance the host community’s are housing up to five (5) families in one house-hold depleting the scarce available food. Open defecation has been observed in most areas covered by the assessment e.g. Sake,Olla,Shimbir-Fatuma and Rhamu-dimtu. Priority Needs The priority needs identified during the assessment are: -Food, Shelter/NFIs, and medical interventions and and WASH.