By Amoto Ndiewo
The North-eastern Regional Commissioner James Kianda has assured candidates, invigilators, and supervisors that the government is up to the task of providing apt security during the on-going national examinations.
“We have made efforts in ensuring the national examinations are going on uninterrupted,’’ he assured.
Speaking during a press briefing in his office, Kianda assured that the security personnel have been deployed across the region’s borders and in all schools to ensure the exercise goes on smoothly.
The volatile area’s regional chief, regretted that in the last few months north-eastern has experienced attacks from suspected al shabaab militants and their sympathizers.
“These attacks have left at least 16 people dead in Mandera, Wajir and Garissa counties,’’ said the boss of the region where even teachers have been targeted in such attacks.
The most recent attack occurred last week on Monday in Mandera where Omar Jilllow’s Chief was attacked by the suspected al shabaab militants, butchering him while leaving Arabia village in Mandera.
“Such an attack and the other recent ones has caused fear and despondence amongst innocent residents that the militants who are known to be opposed to ‘secular’ or western education might disrupt the on-going national examinations,” said Hassan Bille, a resident of Garissa town.
After the rehearsals on the 4Th March, 2022, the KCPE runs from today 7Th to Wednesday 9Th March 2022, while the KCSE began much earlier with the practical and the region’s favourite and best performed Arabic papers having already begun.
“As we are all aware the on-going national examination are crucial to the livelihood of the candidates and as a regional head, I want the educational stakeholders and residents to know the examinations are free of any incident. We are providing adequate security and monitoring the situation to ensure that all goes well without a hitch,” said Kianda who urged residents to remain alert and share any information to the relevant authorities so action can be taken in time.
He stressed that war on terror cannot be won by security personnel alone, adding that the input of members of the public was key in ensuring that terror attacks are thwarted.
Kianda who wished all the north eastern candidates sitting for the national best of luck said there was need to cut the relation with criminals ‘because we have nothing to gain by engaging with them but stand to lose.’
