Leaders from North Eastern yesterday attended the commemoration for students and security officers who lost their lives at Garissa University College last year.
They called for peaceful coexistence and concerted efforts to defeat terrorism.
Those present were National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, Garissa County Governor Nadhif Jama, MPs Barre Shill (Fafi), Shukran Gure (County Woman Rep) and Somalia ambassador to Kenya Jamal Hassan, among others.
Mr Duale said terror groups like Shabaab, ISIS and Al Qaeda cannot continue using Islam to commit ungodly acts. “Islam stands for peace. If you end one life you kill humanity, if you save one life you save humanity,” he said. He announced that the Jubilee government will not withdraw its troops from Somalia until Al Shabaab and other criminal elements were completely rooted out.
“A secure Somalia means a secure Kenya,” he noted, adding that the government was committed to ensuring the university’s growth. He attributed the relative peace to deployment of top security chiefs who hail from the region. Duale thanked the Christian community for ignoring attempts by Al Shabaab to incite a religious war.
The Garissa University College principal Ahmed Osman Warfa said the senseless killings of innocent students and security personnel on April 2, 2015 could not be justified as a fight for any religion.
He, however, seemed to apportion blame on security agents for failing to act on time to save the situation.
“I was just out of bed and was preparing for morning prayers when I heard the sound of bullets. I immediately knew we were under attack,” said Warfa.
The principal however said security has been beefed up after the government established a police post within the college. He appealed to government sponsored students not to fear reporting to the institution in September.
Ambassador Hassan said the Somali government stood with the Kenyan people in the wake of terror attacks. “We pay special tribute to all those who keep Kenya safe including Kenya Defence Forces and other security personnel. They are heroes of the country,” he said.
