Healed from killings, university is back in business

Tight security at Garissa University College when it was commemorating one year after a terrorist attack there left more than 140 students dead. FILE PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Government-sponsored students are yet to return but the administration is hopeful that the September intake will resound good news for the university that lost 142 students to a terror attack carried out by the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab Islamist militants.
  • The university, which has declared a capacity of 600 students, is appealing to students who receive their admission letters to the institution to report without fear because they have learnt their lesson.

Learning has resumed in Garissa University College, a year after the tragic terror attack at the institution and three months after it was reopened on January 4.

However, the college is struggling to attract students. So far, only 150 self-sponsored students have reported, although most staff members have resumed their positions.

Government-sponsored students are yet to return but the administration is hopeful that the September intake will resound good news for the university that lost 142 students to a terror attack carried out by the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab Islamist militants.

The university, which has declared a capacity of 600 students, is appealing to students who receive their admission letters to the institution to report without fear because they have learnt their lesson.

“We are struggling to recover but we have sealed all the loopholes,” said Prof Hussein Golicha, the deputy principal. “I feel this is the safest university in Kenya.

“We have a fully fledged police station within the university and our fence is very well done. We have also put in place biometric identifiers to identify everyone who comes into the university.”

The principal, Prof Ahmed Osman Warfa, is hopeful that they will realise their dream of admitting more than 700 students in September.

In an interview with the Saturday Nation, Prof Warfa appealed to students from upper eastern and northeastern regions — specifically from the counties of Isiolo, Marsabit, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera and Coast — to take up the admission offers as he was not sure whether other Kenyans will agree to join the institution. Many of the students who survived the attack and were relocated to Moi University, Eldoret, are unwilling to return.

Prof Warfa said the reopening of the university was a milestone as it was not only victory to surviving students but also to Kenyans since it showed resilience after the devastating terrorist attack that claimed lives of innocent Kenyans pursuing their dream careers.

“I would like to appeal to Kenyans to come to the university.... Security has improved and the government has done a lot in restoring security,” he said.

He however faulted Garissa Governor Nathif Jama, whom he said had promised Sh200 million to help in improving security but one year later nothing has been forthcoming.

Renovations of the classrooms and hostels are in top gear to beat the September deadline when the school will be expecting an influx of government-sponsored students. In the few classes that are operational, students are busy in class learning and their library is in full force.

“We know we will be allocated very many government students; the question is if they will come,” said Mr Golicha. “We have a lot of hope that some will report to college while a whole lot may not show up.”

All its five schools are fully functional — biological and physical science, art, education, information science and business/ economics, which has the largest number of students.

Mr Abdulrahman Hamo, the Dean of Students, urged the government to motivate more students to study at the university through provision of loans and bursaries.

“The placement board also needs to bring out the national outlook in the university by not only bringing students from nothern Kenya but also from areas such as Ukambani, Nairobi and Coast regions,” said Mr Hamo.

He encouraged students to report to school come September as an act of defiance against the terrorists.

“Tell the students that Garissa is safe,” said Mr Hamo. “We have improved and learnt our lesson.

“What happened could have happened anywhere; it also happened in Paris and Westgate.

“But life has to go on. Running scared will hand victory to the terrorists.”

Among those who returned after the attack was Ms Faith Masinga, a library assistant in charge of ICT.

Ms Masinga has worked at the university for two and a half years and was also pursuing a bachelor of science degree in information science at the university. When the attack occurred, she was at the servants’ quarters, which she had called home for two years.

“At first I did not want to return to the university, not until I saw my colleagues had returned and they were strong,” said Ms Masinga. “Also, I needed the money.

“It is not easy to get a transfer to another university.”

However, Ms Masinga’s return has not been easy. There are places in the university that she has not yet toured — particularly the hostels, where the massacre took place.