NAIROBI (NNN-KBC) -- Despite a recent spate of terror attacks in the country, the Kenyan government will not pull out its troops from Somalia, where they have joined an African Union (AU) peace keeping force fighting the al-Shabaab Islamist militia, says Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Recalling the troops would be equivalent to surrendering to the terrorists, he said Monday in Garissa in North Eastern Province, where he led a government delegation on a visit following Sunday's twin attacks on churches there.
calling on Kenyans to join the security forces in fighting terrorism by volunteering any information they might have, he made it clear that Kenyan troops would not leave Somalia until the neighbouring country was liberated and pacified.
Kenya would not be at peace until Somalia, which has not known peace for two decades, also realized peace, the prime minister said. "We want Somalia to be peaceful so that the 500,000 Somali refugees being hosted in Dadaab refugee camp (in Kenya) can go back to their country to relieve Kenya of the burden of hosting them," he added.
"Surrender is therefore not an option for us because if we leave Somalia, anarchy will set in, which will spill over the borders."
Noting that terrorism transcended religious, political or racial boundaries, Odinga asked Kenyans to rise up and join the security forces in fighting this vice, which, he added, would snowball into a huge conflagration which could consume the entire region, if not checked now.
"It is known that al- Shabab recently joined al-Qaeda, and there is danger that the terrorist organizations could link up with other terrorist groups like Boko Haram in Nigeria to destabilize the whole African continent," said Odinga.
He extended his condolences to the bereaved families and assured them and Kenyans at large that the terrorists would be tracked down, arrested and punished.
Terming the terrorist attacks on churches as cowardly, he cautioned Kenyans against falling prey to the machinations of the terrorists who, he said, wanted to incite religious animosity between Christians and Muslims in this country.
Odinga appealed for sobriety in the wake of the attacks, saying it was improper to apportion blame to any religious sect as that would only be playing in the hands of the terrorists.
At the same function. Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, while underscoring the government's commitment to combating terrorism, lauded Muslim leaders in Kenya for denouncing acts of terrorism.
Defence Minister Yusuf Haji assured Kenyans that all efforts were being made to apprehend the attackers and urged Kenyans to remain calm as security had been beefed up across the country. -- NNN-KBC
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