Garissa leaders honour slain students with calls for peace

Competitors take part in a marathon to commemorate Garissa University College students killed in a terror attack, in Garissa County on April 2, 2018. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK ISMAIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Sheikh condemned Al-Shabaab militants and lauded residents for resisting seeds of hostilities.
  • The attack was widely denounced by various leaders who have been chanting peace slogans.

Garissa County Government officials have said they will not allow the attack on Garissa University College to cause enmity.

Speaking during the third anniversary at the institution on Monday, County Secretary Abdi Sheikh and Gender, Youth and Sports Executive Committee member Zeinab Abdi said the Ali Korane-led administration is committed to fostering peaceful coexistence.

"As county government we will do everything to ensure our people live in peace," he told the gathering made up of students and Athletics Kenya officials.

Mr Sheikh condemned Al-Shabaab militants and lauded residents for resisting seeds of hostilities planted by the terror group.

He also said that the regional government is developing programmes on de-radicalisation, targeting the youth.

On April 2, 2015, masked attackers stormed the institution early in the morning and shot 142 students and six security officers dead.

The attack was widely denounced by various leaders who have been chanting peace slogans.

Garissa University is a constituent of Moi University, which is where students were transferred after the incident.

Mrs Abdi said the students' resilience shows that "knowledge is more powerful than a gun".

The commemoration, which was initially ruled out by Vice-Chancellor Ahmed Osman Warfa who said it would rekindle tragic memories, was a low-key ceremony; involving Athletics Kenya which held a marathon in tribute to the victims.