Residents protest over insecurity in north Kenya

Residents in Kenya's northern Mandera town on Friday held a peaceful demonstration to protest over poor security and demand a transfer of local commissioner.

The demonstration, led by 20 members of county assembly, lasted for more than six hours.

The protesters asked the government to transfer Mandera County Commissioner Alex Nkoyo for incompetence and gave him a-48-hour ultimatum to step down.

They said Nkoyo was behind the current wave of insecurity that have claimed several lives in the region.

Mandera County Governor Ali Roba last week narrowly escaped death after a car of his convoy was blown up by an improvised explosive device.

Nkoyo draw himself into controversy after he said Roba was not the target of the attack and the attackers were just carjacking two vans.

Internal Security Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery on Wednesday defended Nkoyo, saying the attack and a recent Wajir County attack that killed four people were done by "mere banditry".

Some protesters waved anti-Nkaissery placards, warning "if the national government does not act, they will ensure Nkoyo does not serve them any longer by themselves".

Roba, who survived the fifth attempts on his life in less than a year, told journalists in Nairobi on Monday that the government should consider deploying troops to restive northern towns to tackle suspected Somali militants.

The governor blamed security personnel deployed in the county, saying they are ineffective.

Northern Kenya which borders Somalia has seen worsening security situation since the country sent its troops to fight Al- Shabaab inside Somalia. Endi