Kenyan leaders from northeastern prefecture counties called on government to extend amnesty to youth who have joined the Somali-based Al-Shabaab.
The NEP leaders on Monday 22nd October 2018 agreed that its possible to end terrorism without guns if central government could extend amnesty to Al-Shabaab youth, to enable them come home.
The leaders made these sentiments at the opening of a conference in Mandera on countering terrorism and violent extremism. According to the leaders, many youths fail to denounce and return because they fear the security forces.
Since Kenya entered Somalia in 2012 to pursue Al-Shabaab, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Lamu counties have suffered the brunt of terror attacks, targeting non-locals and government officials, including security officers.
Garissa governor Ali Korane who presided over the conference and called on residents to fight the Al-Qaeda Al-Shabaab and not to shield extremist radicals in their midst.
Mandera governor Ali Roba blamed A-Shabaab sympathisers for aiding terror activities, saying they are sabotage the economy of their counties.
Roba noted that the populous from these frontier counties have suffered as some of the residents have fallen into traps set by the terror cells of dividing people along religious and communal lines.
Al-Shabaab has conducted a number of attacks that have targeted non-locals especially in Mandera, where they have killed quarry workers, teachers, travelers and disrupting the way of life by destroying telecommunication masts.
The leaders agreed to stop blame games and take a united approach to fight terror with the help of the community.
