Spotlight: Security tight as Kenya marks 1st anniversary after varsity attack

Saturday April 2, 2016

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Kenyan authorities on Saturday beefed up security along the border with Somalia as the East African nation marks the first anniversary since the massacre of the 148 people at the Garissa University College.

Speakers at the memorial ceremony called on Kenyans to be very vigilant in the wake of increased terror attacks across the East African nation, once an oasis of peace in the troubled Horn of Africa region.

Thousands of people drawn from all walks of life gathered at the institution to mark the first anniversary since the deadly terror attack that left 148 people dead majority of them students.

Security was tight in and around the university college with those entering subjected to through frisking and screening by armed security personnel as hundreds turn for the memorial marathon.

Leaders led by the college's principle Professor Ahmed Warfa and Garissa township lawmaker who is also the Leader of Majority in Parliament Aden Duale participated in the 5km marathon which the organizers said was aimed at bringing cohesion and integration between Kenyans after the worst terror attack in the country.

A few families of those who were killed in the attack also showed up at the memorial.

Speaking after finishing the marathon, Duale said the fact that people of different walk turned at the memorial was true testimony that they are united against the heinous act of terror.

He said the militants' sole intention was to divide Kenyans along religious and ethnic lines, but said that they did not succeed in doing so.

"We want to tell the terrorists from wherever they are, whether ISIS, Al-Shabaab or any other terror group that as a country we will not allow them to replace the pen with the bullet," he said.

Duale said the Garissa terror attack was not exceptional as terror acts could occur anywhere in the globe, citing the recent Brussels attack that left scores dead.

"We are here one year later to tell the nation and the world that it is happening in, Brussels, Paris and Istanbul and what happened at the Garissa University can only be fought when we are united globally and as a country," he said.

The Majority Leader however appreciated the effort done by the government after the deadly terror attacks noting that the posting of top security chiefs who hails from the region had largely led to improvement of security in the region.

The government has deployed more than 2,000 soldiers along the Kenya-Somalia border following the attack which was one of the deadliest ever.

The police have also been supplied with armoured multi-purpose vehicles to boost their surveillance.

The terror incident was a game changer on security matters in the area since many businesses were badly affected by the insecurity that also saw civil servants including professionals vacate the region.

Duale, however, thanked Kenyans for standing with Garissa at their hour of need, noting that most civil servants had resumed their duties.

This, he said, shows how Kenyans are resilient and patriotic.

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