THE STANDARD
NATIONAL
Corporal Ibrahim Dahim instructing the Somali Doubas in aiming, May 1964 [Courtesy]
Combatants go to war to win.
This is a mantra proponents of secession in the Northern Frontier District (NFD) had in mind when they attempted to secede from Kenya.
But they were mistaken besides underestimating the ability of a Kenya that had just gained self-rule from British colonists.
The secessionists might have thought it was easy to break away at a time the young nation was finding her bearing.
They believed their interests would be better safeguarded in neighbouring Somalia than Kenya, where colonists made sure NFD - comprising Isiolo, Marsabit, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera and Moyale - was completely marginalised.