Bongwe: The village of Al Shabaab’s lethal Kenyan terror cell

For the last six years, Bongwe village in Kwale County was considered risky, particularly for strangers likely to be mistaken for spies.

Located in Ukunda, a one-hour drive from Mombasa, the village was not accessible to ‘outsiders’ as doing so was considered inviting a ‘death sentence’.

According to security authorities, Bongwe was a dangerous place with an active terror cell.

Here, Al Shabaab’s Jaysh Ayman members and Kenyan security agents played an endless tit-for-tat game.

Jaysh Ayman, which had its roots at Bongwe, was singled out for carrying out terror attacks.

In Bongwe, for every man that Jaysh Ayman killed, individuals strongly believed to be Kenyan security agents hunted down one or two of their members in retaliation.

It is also in this village where two elderly men were beheaded in 2020 for allegedly informing government officials about the members and activities of Jaysh Ayman.

Weeks later, dreaded late-night visits by masked gunmen ended in abductions of those suspected to be Al-Shabaab returnees.

Their bodies would later be recovered in the Tsavo West National Park at different times, having strangulation marks, with some having their hands tied and eyes gouged out.

In some cases, burnt polythene was found still stuck on the bodies and particularly on the legs, private parts, necks and hands.

Among those whose bodies were found at the Makindu Sub-County Hospital mortuary, hundreds of kilometres from where they had been abducted are Juma Said Sarai, Khalfan Suleiman Linuku, Abdalla Nassir Gatana and Usama Nassir.

By the time the families positively identified the four, 30 other unclaimed bodies were lying at the mortuary with almost similar features.

When journalists would attempt to visit the isolated Bongwe village during those days, they were informed that talking to them or security agents about Jaysh Ayman was as good as inviting a death sentence.

Interestingly, the common denominator about these families is they all maintain their kin were innocent and were not involved in criminal activities.

For half-widows, it is worse.

Uncertain whether their husbands are dead or alive, they are now remaining in limbo.

When the Nation’s investigations desk visited Bongwe village, a lot seemed to have changed.

Amid mourning, there’s a glimmer of hope for these families.

After several visits to hospitals, police stations and morgues across the country, sharing the same pain and left with only memories of their loved ones, the Bongwe widows in Kwale have now joined hands and partnered up to start businesses to look after their families.

Ms Zuhura Msaji who has lived in Bongwe for the last 40 years says between 2014-2015, there were areas the residents themselves could not step foot in since they were considered dangerous zones.

“Those days we could not go to Mabokoni as any motorcycle rider would decline to. People lived a life behind closed doors worried whether their husbands, sons or brothers could be the next victims. To date, we do not know if those who abducted them were police officers or Al-Shabaab,” explains Ms Msaji.

s Msaji who now owns an eatery in Ukunda says it took her a while before gathering the courage to attend counselling sessions.

“We are grateful because were it not for civil society organisations teaming up and offering us the psychosocial support we needed, I am not sure if I would be doing this business today. It was a scary moment, especially for us families,” says Ms Msaji noting there are others who moved into hiding fearing for their lives.

Her colleague 50-year-old Mwanauba Yeya says back in the day they used to wake up at 4am and be thankful they are alive and in Bongwe.

“We were always on standby because we did not know who the next target would be. By 5pm everyone had picked up their children from school and we locked ourselves indoors,” recalls Ms Yaye.

For Binti Mwaraphonza they still hurt inside but convince themselves with time all will be okay.

“As half-widows until now, we do not know whether our loved ones are dead or alive; their bodies were never recovered. As a healing process we partnered up and started a cooking business to heal our emotional pains,” says Ms Mwaraphonza.

Ms Mesalimu Ali who lost more than seven members during the night raids says their pain brought them together.

“We saw it was best to stand in as breadwinners of our family, our children depended on us. All we are praying for is to never experience what we did back then,” says Ms Ali.

Mzee Shaban Goyo, an elder in the Ukunda Settlement scheme says most of the area chiefs and village elders ran away as they were targeted for being informers.

“Others fled the village for their safety while some are recovering from gun wounds they sustained, but they are reluctant to speak to outsiders because they are fearing for their lives,” says Mr Goyo.

Human rights lobby Muhuri Kwale Coordinator Abdirahman Mwagoka called for the government to form a commission of inquiry to look into the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances cases noting it will help avoid similar incidents in future.

“There are other families who have not healed five years later. We have tried our part to offer them guidance and counselling sessions but also the government to look into the Bongwe incident and those found with cases to answer to be brought before the court of law,” says Mr Mwangoka.

Kwale police boss Josphat Kinyua applauded local leaders for working closely with the security authorities in ensuring peace is restored.

He says the collaboration has helped bring peace back to an area that was once considered dangerous.

“Border patrols have been intensified. We are now dealing with minor issues of youths forming criminal gangs and stealing from people. I want to urge parents even as we continue to deal with these cases to be on the lookout for what their children are engaging themselves in daily,” says Mr Kinyua.

Source: nation.africa