Friday June 23, 2023
Defense CS Aden Duale and other leaders at Garissa University during the 4th graduation ceremony. Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Thursday commended the Garissa University lecturers, students and the community for their resilience to push on even after the 2015 terror attack that left several dead.
On April 2, 2015, al-Shabaab terrorists stormed the university killing 148 people mostly students.
Speaking during a graduation ceremony at the Garissa university grounds, Duale, who was then MP for Garissa township, while recalling the events of the attack said the power of the pen had finally won against the gun.
"When the incident happened, we came with the then interior CS Joseph Nkaisery and former Police IG Boinett. I remember saying that the power of the pen will never be defeated by the gun. That is exactly what happened. I did not know that several years later I will be the one to grace the graduation as the CS defence," he said.
Duale said the militants were hell-bent on making sure the institution does not rise again
"We thank God that he has seen us through our most difficult and trying moments. With our resilience, we are here today celebrating the graduation ceremony of 482 students among them a PHD graduand," said Duale.
Duale said the government was determined to completely eradicate al Shabaab militants whose sole aim is to cripple all social amenities.
“I am standing here as the CS defence and I want to directly face the militants and tell them that we are coming for you. We will use our land forces, navy, air force and special forces to hunt you down both in Kenya and inside Somalia," he said.
Duale said the government was working closely with its partners and allies who have troops in Somalia to completely finish the group.
He urged residents to stand up and join the fight against militants saying that security cannot be left to the government.
“I want to say very clearly that we have enough human intelligence and will monitor each and every communication especially those locals collaborating with our enemy. The moment you finish with that call we are with you," he said.
Defense CS Aden Duale joins traditional dancers at Garissa University during the 4th graduation ceremony. Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Duale regretted that the militants had resorted to planting explosives on the roadside targeting vehicles of security officers and other public vehicles plying different routes.
On his part, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu said that the government Will continue supporting university education urging the community to ‘jealously’ guard the university.
“Having a university in your county is a major achievement. Kindly the people of Garissa and Northeastern in general, protect this university by all standards because, in the unfortunate event you lose it, getting it back is not easy,” said Machogu.
Machogu said that the presidential working party will soon be handing its report to the president and said the issue of having a homegrown solution to the teachers' crisis has been addressed in the report.
“The main thing that is hindering that is the cluster, but that one is being sorted out so that we can have a homegrown solution where we can have our people come back and teach our students,” he said.
“I wish to assure you that as a Ministry, we will continue to support the university sub-sector. We are dedicated to providing the necessary resources, creating an enabling environment, and facilitating partnerships to ensure that universities thrive and fulfil their mission of knowledge dissemination, skill development, and societal transformation,” he added.
Leaders present were Garissa Deputy Governor Abdi Dagane, MPs chair of the education committee Julius Melly, MPs Dekow Mohamed [Garissa Township] Aden Daul [Wajir East], Salah Yakub [Fafi] Abdi Ali [Ijara[Dick Maungu [Luanda] Ali Haji [Elwak], and Garissa women representative Udgoon Siyad.