Jubbaland threatens to sue Senator Roba, Kerrow over deforestation remarks

KISMAYU—Jubbaland State administration now want two Mandera leaders to apologise for comments they made on X, formerly Twitter.

The Ahmed Madobe-led administration seeks Senator Ali Roba and his former counterpart, Billow Kerrow to pull down the posts with clarification or “face legal action.”

On Sunday, Billow Kerrow shared a video on his X account showing dozens of trucks loaded with woods. The inaugural Mandera senator called on regional leaders to act.

“Massive deforestation in Kismayu, Somalia, not far from Kenya border. Thousands of tons of wood destroyed from a semi-arid region daily for export as charcoal for years. As Kenya holds the Africa climate leadership, can WilliamsRuto do something about it?” He tweeted.

Massive deforestation in Kismayu, Somalia, not far from Kenya border. Thousands of tons of wood destroyed from a semi-arid region daily for export as charcoal for years. As Kenya holds the Africa climate leadership, can @WilliamsRuto do something about it? pic.twitter.com/6c2TNEUtmc

— FCPA Billow Kerrow (@BillowKerrow) February 4, 2024

In response, senator Roba said: “This is very sad situation can the somali government do something about this massive and deliberate deforestation. It challenges the legitimacy of any sub-national government, national/Federal Government if left unchallenged.”

He added: “Our brothers and neighbors must first feel the pain and encourage their respective representatives to fight this situation unless they themselves are direct beneficiaries which makes this call an exercise in futility. What happens in our neighborhood in climate destruction has a direct impact on Kenya.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Jubbaland’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change denied the claims, saying the footages were “misleading.”

“Upon careful examination, it has been observed that the images circulated on Twitter, depicting lorries carrying charcoal, are not from Kismayo. These discrepancies raise doubts about the authenticity of the claims, suggesting that the information shared is inaccurate and lacks evidentiary support,” the ministry said in a Facebook post.

According to officials who spoke to Kulan Post, the administration is “planning to sue the two Kenyan leaders for their remarks.”

An “X” post by Abdirashid Dhanan, President Ahmed Madobe’s Public Relations advisor, has confirmed the move.

Sawirkan iyo Muuqaalo lamid ah ayay Baraha Bulshada ku faafiyeen Laba masuul oo katirsan Siyaasiyiinka Kenya kuwaas oo ku sheegay in ay Muuqalada iyo sawiradu yihiin Dowlad deegaanka Jubaland taas oo aan sal iyo Raad toona lahayn.@BillowKerrow iyo @captainroba pic.twitter.com/AHNOpsc91S

— Abdirashid dhanaane (@Abaubeida) February 6, 2024

In 2018, the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea released a damning report on how illicit charcoal trade fuels insurgency activities in the region.