We not only have to grapple with insecurity but with the high cost of transport as well, non-locals living in Mandera have protested.
Mandera county is located 1,300 kilometres away from Nairobi.
However, due to its unstable security, fares remain nightmarishly high.
Consequently, non-locals cannot travel in and out of the county at will.
The few who could afford a plane ticket can no longer buy one after fare was increased from Sh10,000 to Sh25,000.
The non-natives, who have formed an association called 'The Seventh Community in Mandera' have threatened to take to the streets should the government fail to adequately address their concerns.
All roads leading out of Mandera to other parts of the country have remained closed since 2014 following a number of attacks that left 64 people dead, among them 28 teachers.
The teachers were onboard a bus travelling to Nairobi when they were ambushed by al Shabaab militants who singled out non-Muslims and shot them dead.
The attack happened on November 22, 2014.
The militants killed 36 miners at a quarry in Mandera East the following month.
David Karimi, the chairman of the non-locals community, urged the government to open up the roads.
"We plead with the government to kindly move with speed and open up all roads that are currently closed. Most important is we beseech those in charge to provide security to the non-local community to safely travel in and out of the county,” he said.
Kirimi said the majority of them have not seen their families for more than a year as insecurity prevents them from travelling.
"Very few can afford to travel by air even though it is the only available means of transport that is safe for us at the moment. As we all know the price has hiked from Sh10,000 to Sh25,000," he said.
Karimi spoke during a security meeting in Mandera on Wednesday.
Rose Ukwanyu said she has been a voter in Mandera for more than 20 years since leaving her home county in Western.
She accused the government of paying lip service to the security issue, saying they feel like captives in their own country.
Ukwanyu, a mechanic and owner of a garage in Mandera town, wants the Mandera-Moyale route reopened for buses and police escorts increased, or else the price of plane tickets reduced to Sh10,000 as before.
Jafan Kitui, a teacher at Al Huda Primary School in Mandera East, said he has not travelled to his county of origin for more than a year now.
Kitui said for a non-local to travel in and out of Mandera, one has to use the Mandera-Rhamo-Banisa-Takaba route to Moyale and then to Nairobi, adding it is not only long but expensive.
“Our passionate appeal to President Ruto and [Interior CS] Prof Kindiki is that they prioritise stabilising security in Mandera county. I have personally been forced not to attend several funerals of close relatives due to the reasons stated,” he said.
Mandera county commissioner Amos Mariba said they put in place good arrangements by providing security to non-locals travelling home.
"Anyone travelling by public service vehicles will be provided with enough police officers to escort them via government-recommended routes," he said.
"Any group that wishes to travel should get in touch with the police for escort services. We want to assure all people residing in the county of their safety."
Mariba urged airlines to offer pocket-friendly fares to accommodate as many people as possible.
"Even though the air transport agencies are commercial, we still advise them to consider all classes of people and reconsider their prices," he said.