Munyo Yaya Community Wants To Be Formally Recognized Kenyan Tribe

GARISSA, Kenya, Nov 18- Munyo Yaya, a community residing on the outskirts of Garissa town is now demanding to be formally recognized as a Kenyan tribe. The community wants to be given a tribe code by the national government for them to access government services.

Led by Abubakar Galasha, the Community Deputy Leader, they alleged that it has been difficult for them to access government services, including acquiring identification cards, birth certificates for their children, and government jobs due to lack of a tribal code.

“As a community, we have lived in Kenya for more than a century and yet we lack a tribe code. We know there are other small tribes like the Makonde, Shona and Hindu who have been recognized as Kenyan tribes by the national government,” Galasha told Shahidi News.

“Our children are learned but unable to secure jobs without identification cards and tribe code. We have been marginalized for so long yet we are Kenyans who fought for Northern Frontier District to remain in Kenya,” he added

Galasha said that a 40-hectare piece of land given to them by Tana River county government for construction of Madogo market has since been taken by the National Youth service.

“Our only property which the land given to us by the county was taken and turned into an NYS camp in Madogo. We need to be respected and recognized,” he said.

The community also wants the Madogo division to be elevated to a Sub-county and bring government services closer to the citizens.

“Madogo division was created before independence. For all these years, this division has never been elevated to a district or sub-county, ” said Daudi Loka, an elder in the community.

The community members say that they are planning to travel to Nairobi with the hope of meeting the Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i and President Uhuru Kenyatta to present their grievances for action.