Colleges shut over terror attack fears

The Garissa Medical Training College and Migori Teachers Training College have been closed over terrorist attack fears.

Medical college principal Omar Osman said the decision was reached after County Commissioner Njenga Miiri said the government could not provide increased security personnel requested by the college.

ARMED SECURITY
“Following the Garissa University College attack, we requested the county commissioner to provide us with armed security but we were told the government could not provide the number we wanted,” Mr Osman said.

He said after consulting with his bosses in Nairobi, it was agreed to close the college as “we could not gamble with the lives of our students.”
He said the students would be sent to other colleges while staff will remain at the institution as they await orders from Nairobi.

He termed as “unfortunate” government’s failure to provide security to the only medical training college in the northeastern region.
Students yesterday said by closing the college, the government was playing into the hands of Al-Shabaab.

They said they wondered if closing the institution would end the Al-Shabaab menace.

In Migori, all 200 in-service teachers doing Kenya Institute of Special Education and special education courses went home last evening following reports of a possible attack.
The students walked out of the college as armed police officers moved in.

The college’s 1,000 regular students are on holiday.
Principal Mary Claire Indire said she had received the terror reports.

“I am away but I am aware of what has happened,” she said.

Guards at the college said they were under strict instructions not to allow strangers into the compound.

Migori County Police Commander David Kirui said he was in possession of “valuable” information on the potential terror attack.

Additional reporting by KNA