Kenya has established a national antiterrorism body to tackle Alshabab ideology says president Kenyatta

Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta who is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia yesterday addressed African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) noting that his government has established National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), a multi-agency mechanism that ensures Kenya’s counter-terrorism policies are implemented.

He informed the attendants that his administration has extended an olive branch to Kenyan defectors from Alshabab fighters in Somalia and will be integrated back into the society after undergoing a rehabilitation course.

“Other measures include rehabilitation programs and initiatives that enhance de-radicalization processes through amnesty for all returnees from Somalia who wish to abandon criminal affiliations to rejoin the society,” President Kenyatta said.

He underscored the great efforts exerted by the contributing countries of the peacekeeping troops in Somalia to ensure stability which Kenya is one of them.

He also pointed out the routes opened to extend humanitarian assistance to the local Somali population which were blocked by Alshabab fighters.

Despite these tremendous progresses, he urged African countries to increase their support to the continental Peace and Security Council in countering terrorism and violent extremism.

“The Kenya Government continues to appeal to our brothers and sisters on the continent to also collectively address the root cause and development of violent extremism in the different regions in Africa,” President Kenyatta said.

He highlighted as a major challenge the untimely withdrawal of Amisom troops from Somalia before creating a local Somali military force to replace them is created.

“Indeed, I would like to call on the UN and the AU to ensure a practical and realistic AMISOM exit timelines that should be subjected to regular reviews,” the President said.

President Kenyatta insinuated the imperative need to curb future extremist threats in the bud by addressing the root cause of the matter by policy makers.

“Effective counter-terrorism policy interventions must focus on protecting and empowering the communities, investing in peace building, reconciliation and re-construction processes that include the people exposed to terrorism and the larger societies,” President Kenyatta said.

Kenyan troops entered southern Somalia in 2011 and later joining the AU force to battle Al-Shabaab fighters, which it blamed for kidnapping tourists in the coastal region. In retaliation, the terrorist group has launched a spate of attacks in the East African nation.

In 2012, Kenyan troops successfully captured the strategic port town of Kismayo from the al-Shabaab militants curtailing its major economic stronghold in Somalia.

Opposition parties in Kenya have severally called for the government to make an immediate withdrawal from Somalia after a series of deadly attacks launched by the militant group in the country.

Goobjoog News