Azimio la Umoja Raila Odinga, one of Kenya’s presidential candidates, has promised to reopen the closed Kenya-Somalia border if elected on August 9.
Raila stated that the border will be opened to allow trade between the two countries.
“We shall put in place all that is required to ensure operations at this border so that we can freely interact with our Somalia brothers,” he said.
The former prime minister who was accompanied by his running mate Martha Karua and other leaders promised to improve security in Mandera and the North Eastern Region as a whole.
Al Shabaab militants based in Somalia have continued to target the region.
On Thursday, armed militants stopped a bus coming into Mandera and lectured passengers for at least two hours.
Raila stated that he has supported the region for decades and that he has always meant well for the North Eastern region.
The former Prime Minister stated that his administration will focus on improving infrastructure in the region in order to connect it to the rest of the country.
He cited the ongoing construction of the Horn of Africa getaway project, which passes through Isiolo, Wajir, and ends in Mandera via Elwak town.
To reduce the cost of doing business in Mandera, the ODM leader stated that his government will build the Mandera-Takaba-Moyale road.
