By Adan Mohamed - Reporter
4 January 2026 - Gurreh community youth in Mandera East on Saturday held a community meeting in Mandera town that brought together over 200 young people from across the sub-county, alongside respected community elders.
The forum follows a previous gathering where the youth discussed unity and agreed to hold a larger, grand meeting focused on strengthening cohesion within the Gurreh community.
The meeting mainly was to foster unity, enhance social cohesion, and build stronger community linkages in Mandera County.
Elders who attended the forum were present to listen, guide, and engage with the youth on key discussions affecting the community.
During the deliberations, the youth unanimously resolved to establish a steering committee, which will be rolled out to all locations in Mandera East. The new structure is expected to improve coordination, strengthen communication channels, and enhance youth representation at community decision-making levels.
The forum also agreed on the formal involvement of community elders through structured consultative meetings, where grievances and proposals from the youth and wider community will be tabled and addressed.
With one voice community declaration, residents present at the meeting announced that the people of Mandera East have chosen to unite with one voice on all aspects of community development and representation.
Community members also expressed growing concerns about long-standing marginalization, with several speakers stating that youth in the region have suffered for years due to limited access to government services and development opportunities.
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“Hani Abdi urged her fellow youth to unite behind their community and work together to end years of marginalization that the Gurreh community has endured.”
Residents delivered strong political messages, saying the time has come to change the political dynamics in Mandera , and called for leadership that will directly benefit the Gurreh community.
“If we stand united, we will achieve everything we have been missing,” said Jabir Yussuf.
Other youths added that unity will be key to accessing national and county benefits, including humanitarian support, education, health, and economic empowerment programmes.
The community further urged residents not to allow division, calling for greater awareness, protection of community interests, and a push for home-grown representation to secure a better future.
The community also pledged to continue holding a series of consultative meetings aimed at building a unified vision, promoting development, and ensuring fair access to services for all residents of Mandera East.
