Kibaki promises to crush Somali militants

By Augustine Oduor

The Government will not allow any foreign forces to disrupt peace in the country, says President Kibaki.

He said the Government is ready to defend the country and asked Kenyans to be calm.

"The integrity of Kenya is a matter of great importance," he said. The President spoke Friday at Kenyatta University during the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the university’s teaching, research and referral hospital and the opening of a modern library.

The assurance comes after the kidnapping of tourists by Somali pirates in Lamu recently. Last Saturday, French woman Marie Dedieu was abducted at her cottage on Manda Island, while Mrs Judith Tebutt, a Briton, was seized and her husband, David, shot dead at the exclusive Kiwayu Safari Village Resort in September.

Security meeting

The National Security council held an emergency meeting to seek ways of countering attacks by al Shabaab militants from war-torn Somalia. Already, the tourism sector is feeling the effects of the attacks, with several western nations issuing travel advisories to their citizens to keep off the Kenyan coast.

"There is no need for tourists to panic as Kenya is safe. Lamu is safe too," said Tourism Minister Najib Balala.

The minister said the travel ban issued by the French embassy is re-stricted to Lamu and not the entire country. He added that the Government has beefed up security in and around Lamu Island to ensure all tourists and residents are safe.

Meanwhile, Kenyatta University will be the first public university to construct and manage a teaching, research and referral hospital after President Kibaki presided over the groundbreaking ceremony Friday.

The Sh9 billion project will start in January, 2012 to 2015. "We shall provide services for spinal injuries, cancer, gender based violence, and HIV and Aids among other ailments," Vice Chancellor Olive Mugenda said.

Best Facility

She added the 600-bed capacity medical facility will enhance research-based diagnosis and treatment and also train professionals to cut the patient-doctor ration that currently stands at 1:12,000.

She said the hospital will have students’ accommodation, lecture theatres, doctors’ plaza, operation theatres and a mortuary. Already, 320 students have been admitted to study medicine 200 nursing, 170 pharmacy and another 200 enrolled in laboratory sciences.

The president also opened Sh865 million post-modern library that will serve 40,000 students. The library has a capacity of 5,000 and has books worth Sh400 million from donors. "We need another Sh150 million to erect security features in order to serve the big number of students," said the VC.