Tuesday 21, Jan, 2025 {HMC} Police have arrested and detained a suspect and a vehicle that was found carrying 50 bags of contraband sugar in Garissa.

The suspect had earlier escaped a dragnet in the area and abandoned his vehicle carrying the sugar.

He had originated the Kenya-Somalia main border with the product when police intercepted him in Garissa town.

On Saturday, he abandoned his vehicle and escaped. The vehicle was taken to the local station before the suspect was traced and arrested hours later.

Police say some of the sugar being consumed locally is smuggled from the main Kenya-Somalia border.

This affects the local production of the product and business in general.

Cases of illegal importation of contraband products are on the rise amid police operations to address the same.

Last week, police officers from the Endebess Police Station intercepted a lorry and seized a substantial haul of 32 drums of ethanol. The operation unfolded following a tip-off regarding a lorry suspected of transporting ethanol.

Acting swiftly, the officers set up an ambush along the Suam-Kitale road, successfully stopping the vehicle.

Upon escorting the truck back to the Endebess Police Station, a search revealed that the ethanol was cleverly concealed beneath 25 bags of maize and 20 bags of animal feed.

The driver and his loader were taken into custody pending arraignment, police said.

The seized ethanol drums were secured at the station pending further action from Kenya Revenue Authority officials.

The KRA officials later visited the site and took over the product.

Officials say some of those involved in the business bribe their way to be able to pass through many security checks. Others use unauthorized routes to evade detection by security agencies.

Multi-agency teams are involved in the war against contraband goods.

Tuesday January 21, 2025

The war between Ethiopia’s government forces and Tigrayan fighters killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions. Many now grapple with severe social and economic challenges despite a peace agreement.

There was relief in Tigray when the war ended with a peace agreement signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022. But, despite the cessation of hostilities, hundreds of thousands of people uprooted from their homes during the conflict continue to live in dire conditions. The war in Tigray was fought between Ethiopia’s National Defense Force, backed by troops from Eritrea, against fighters of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

Birhane Tafere, 62, fled from his home in Humera, a city in northwestern Ethiopia, in November 2020. Since then, Birhane has spent over four years in an IDP camp. He now resides in a temporary shelter in Abiye Adi, located 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, along with thousands of other displaced people, and describes his life as miserable.

“All displaced people are in despair. We are worried about what will happen next,” Birhane told DW.

“The authorities who should be returning us to our villages have abandoned our agenda and are busy struggling for power.”

1 million refugees
According to Tigray’s interim regional administration, nearly 1 million displaced people have not been able to return to their homes.

The administration cites significant social and economic hardship caused by this displacement, as militants continue to control western Tigray and Eritrean forces control border areas, hindering safe returns. For many, the situation in Tigray is life-threatening.

Negasi Marek, a displaced father of four from western Tigray, has been living in Tsehaye Primary School, which now serves as a temporary IDP camp in Shire city. Negasi told DW that the conditions are so severe in the shleter that people are dying.

“Four people have died alone in the last two weeks, just because of the dire situation,” Negasi said.

“We are not living; we are suffering. Especially the elderly, diabetics and people with hypertension do not get medicine and food. All you can expect here is death,” Negasi added.

People ‘suffering immensely’

The opposition party Salsay Weyane Tigray accuses both the regional and federal governments of causing the suffering of the displaced people. Party Chairman Alula Hailu told DW that the Eritrean army has not yet withdrawn from the border areas of Irob and Badme or other districts of Tigray.

Alula said neither Tigray’s regional administration nor Ethiopia’s federal government had fulfilled their responsibilities. As a result, many displaced people continue to live in tents.

“About 600 of the 10,625 displaced people from Badme alone have died due to a lack of food and other support,” Alula said, adding that his party has repeatedly called attention to the plight of displaced people.

“Similarly, displaced people in Shire are suffering immensely. The problem is widespread,” Alula said.

Billions still needed

Tigray’s regional interim administration has announced plans to facilitate the return of displaced people. However, the plan is estimated to require $2.1 billion (€2 billion) and the political will to return the displaced people.

The administration has reportedly engaged UN agencies and other stakeholders to secure funding and support for the process.

Despite repeated government promises to return the internally displaced people, there has been no sign of change.