Mandera

Mandera is the capital of the Mandera District.[2]

As a whole, it used to constitute one district in previous administrations, which is now divided into six sub-counties and Constituencies; namely,

1. Mandera East which represents Mandera Town as well as Arabia.
2. Mandera Central
3. Mandera West
4. Lafey
5. Mandera north and
6. Banisa.

The town occupies an area of 26,744 km².[2]

Historically, the Name Mandera has been attributed to Madeer, a Garre word for a type of bushy tree that grows in the area

Records from the Kenya National Archives show the British East Africa Protectorate was present in around 1890s though The British Colony of Kenya established a permanent post in around 1910 covering Mandera from Moyale Post. Tribes present in Mandera region were Garre, Murulle and some Corner Tribes. Merchant Arabs and other non-local Somalis were there doing business in around Rhamu during these times. British Colonists started recording events as early as 1893 including the 'Colka Caalin' of the 1915 between Garre on one side and Degodia and Murule on another side.

Khadija Primary School in Mandera Town

Among the notable incident of Mandera history was the Rhamu Incident of the 1977 in which Somalian military invaded Ethiopian defences from the Kenyan side in which a force of 1500 Somali soldiers attacked a border post, and killed 30 Kenyan police officers and soldiers. Because Mandera is inhabited by Somalis, who resemble those of Somalia and Ethiopia, the Somalian army successfully crossed into the Sidamo Region of Ethiopia in the so called Ogaden War.[3]

As with the other areas of the North Eastern Province, Mandera is predominantly inhabited by ethnic Somalis. with the Garre clan representing majority of the population.

Mandera's climate is categorized as arid under the Köppen climate classification. Temperatures tend to be hot throughout the year. Daily temperatures are typically above 30 °C (86 °F), while at night, they can fall to 20 °C (68 °F). Precipitation is extremely low, with the area receiving a minimal amount of rain. Droughts are not unusual, often resulting in significant loss of livestock in rural areas where pastoralism is common.[4]

• Districts of Kenya

• Mandera triangle for the border region disputed between Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, centered on the city of Mandera