Monday, August 3, 2015
The Garissa University College will be reopened next month. The college was attacked by al Shabaab on April 2 and 147 people killed. Out of those killed, 142 were students.
The attack was the worst in Kenya’s history, more so because it was on students. The students were transferred to the Moi University in Eldoret.
Kenyans from different parts of the country under the Northern Advocacy Initiative, in conjunction with the Queen of Hearts, joined Garissa residents yesterday in an emotional ceremony ahead of the reopening of the university. T
hey held an overnight vigil in the dormitories where the students were killed. The group, who are joined by renowned journalist Lolani Kalu, will spend four days in Garissa preaching peace. Most staff members have returned to work.
The administration is working closely with the county security team to put up a permanent police post at the institution. The post will be manned by 10 officers all the time to provide round-the-clock security. University Principal Ahmed Warfa said the university will provide housing and patrol vehicle for the officers as a measure to invest in heavy security. He assured staff and students of their security while at the institution.
There has been speculation that the students will not come back, and fresh students will not want to enrol in the campus as it is associated with poor security and vulnerable to terror attacks. National Cohesion and Integration Commission chairman Francis Kaparo attended the ceremony.
He called on the local community and the people of Northeastern to shun inter-clan and inter-ethnic clashes to spur development. Kaparo called on the government to hasten the reopening of the university, saying its indefinite closure means a big win to the terrorists. He urged Kenyans from other parts of the country to take up jobs in Northeastern, saying this will upset the divisive propaganda by the terrorists.