Sunday April 2, 2017
By STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Said Omar, a lecturer at the Garissa University College, teaches third-year students as they return to the campus, January 11, 2016. /REUTERS
A low-key ceremony on Sunday marked the two-year anniversary since al Shabaab militants attacked Garissa University College, killing 148, most of them students.
Four terrorists stormed the institution on April 2, 2015 and shot indiscriminately at students and security personnel.
Within an hour of the 5am attack, the militants had killed about 100 people.
On Sunday, the university and Athletics Kenya organised a five-kilometre marathon to commemorate the lives lost.
Security was tight at the event with armed security officers manning the institution and its vicinity. More than 200 athletes took part in the event.
County commissioner James Kianda said the country has learnt a lot since the attack and noted that the multi-agency approach to fighting terror has been widely adopted.
"Security organs including the National Police service, Regular Police, General Service Unit, Kenya Defence Forces and other security organs work together in fight against terror,” he said.
Noting that terror incidences have reduces since the attack, he however said threats are prevalent due to the porous Kenya-Somalia border.
"We have deployed enough officers at the border to deter any threats within the country and we have also increased patrols ensure the menace is completely wiped out," he added.
Kianda said they have also ensured the gap between security officers and the public is reduced so as to build confidence amongst the public to share information freely.
“Police officers working to ensure lives and properties are protected in all institutions such service delivery and learning bodies, currently there are police officers at Garissa Teachers College, NEP Polytechnic and Garissa Medical Training College among others,” he said.
At the event, Athletics Kenya vice president Paul Mutui said the marathon was held in memory of those killed in cold blood by the terrorists.
"Whatever kind of hatred, political, religious, and cultural or anything else, human beings must learn to co-exist; nothing can justify the killing of another for whatever hate," he said.
The university's principal Ahmed Warfa said they will continue to remember those lost.
The institution, which is a constituent college of the Eldoret-based Moi University, was reopened in January and currently has 585 students at the college and 200 live on campus.