Five Chiefs abducted earlier this year by Al-Shabaab in Mandera will receive the prestigious Head of State Commendation. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the award, recognizing their resilience and dedication despite the traumatic ordeal.

• Five Mandera Chiefs were abducted by Al-Shabaab in February while en route to a meeting about President William Ruto's planned visit.
• The Chiefs were released after two months on April 6, largely due to negotiations by local elders from Mandera.
• The Head of State Commendation will be awarded during the upcoming Jamhuri Day celebrations, intended to acknowledge their endurance and reassure other administrators in volatile regions.