Students in the North eastern region and all parts of the country have been urged to enroll for certificate, diploma, and degree courses at the Garissa University as the government officials promise them adequate security.
The university is now roaring back to life as top government officials and parliamentary committee members for education joined 482 students during their graduation in a show of resolute and common spirit in fight against insecurity in the region.
Speakers at the graduation ceremony led by Education Cabinet secretary Ezekiel Machogu and Defense CS Aden Duale said that the university had exercised resilience even after the 2015 terror attack that left 148 students dead.
Machogu said that having a university in a county is a major achievement for the residents and urged the people to work closely with security agencies to protect the university from any threat.
“We have the assurance of the defense minister and the regional commissioner that Garissa is safe and secure and that this university will never be attacked again. What happened in 2015 is behind us now,” he added.
“We want the students from Kenya, not only from this region, to come and acquire knowledge in this great university because it is one of the best public universities in the country,” he added.
Machogu also disclosed that the presidential working taskforce will recommend various measures that will bring a permanent solution to the teacher mass exodus and shortage in the north eastern region.
The Education CS said that there is a need for a homegrown solution of the issue so that it can be settled with finality.
Duale on his part said that the graduation ceremony is proof that a pen is mightier than a gun, and that the government will not allow insecurity in the region to continue.
“We are coming for you Al shabaab. We will use all our forces to hunt you down both in Kenya and inside Somalia. Our people must stand up. We want roads to be built from Isiolo to Mandera, from Lamu to Moyale so that we can grow this region,” Duale said.
“Those who will communicate with al-Shabaab in any way, if you speak to them, we will be on your doorstep once you hang up the phone,” he added.
He warned boda boda riders against ferrying al-Shabaab suspects and sympathizers who take food to them in the forests that the arm of the law will soon catch up with them.
By Erick Kyalo
