Terror triumph: Let us renew our resolve in defeating Al Shabaab

The country recently commemorated the second anniversary of the massacre at Garissa University College in which 150 people, mainly students, lost their lives and dozens others wounded. In terms of casualty, the attack was the second biggest after the 1998 US Embassy bombing in Nairobi that claimed more than 200 lives.

Notwithstanding the dark cloud of sorrow, the nation overpowered the enemy’s divisive aim for our collective Kenyan spirit of unity and love, which is characteristic of us, especially whenever we are faced with a national tragedy.

One of the towering expressions of unity and love during that sombre moment was captured in the picture of a local Muslim woman who closely held in consolation two female students who had survived the terror ordeal. Through her humane gesture, the woman in the picture who it later turned out was Mrs Khadija Mohamed Ahmed, a counsellor at the university, sent a clear and an unequivocal message to the militant group that they may have harmed the bodies of our compatriots, but the undying spirit of love and unity in our hearts would never be assailed by their weaponry.

As we continue to reflect on what transpired on that fateful day and appreciate the improvement of security, we should all renew our resolve and commitment to join hearts, hands and minds and to collectively kick out Al-shabab militants from our country. Let this powerful wisdom of author and philosopher, Thomas Carlyle continue to guide us. “Men’s hearts ought not to be set against one another, but set with one another, and all against evil only”. Hassan Malik Mohamed, Garissa