President Uhuru Kenyatta.[Photo/PSCU]
The Kenya Government has instituted a number of measures to counter-terrorism and violent extremism both at national and regional level, President Uhuru Kenyatta has said.
President Kenyatta told the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) meeting in Addis Ababa on Saturday evening that one of the measures was the establishment of a National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), a multi-agency mechanism that ensures Kenya’s counter-terrorism policies are implemented.
“Other measures include rehabilitation programmes and initiatives that enhance de-radicalisation processes through amnesty for all returnees from Somalia who wish to abandon criminal affiliations to rejoin the society,” President Kenyatta said.
Regionally, the President said Kenya alongside Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Burundi have contributed to peace, security and stabilization in Somalia through the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM).
“Through these efforts, we have recovered significant territories that were previously under the command of Al Shabaab,” President Kenyatta said.
“We have also facilitated humanitarian relief by securing the main supply routes to enable safe delivery of humanitarian assistance to most of the affected populations,” the President added.
But despite the gains made in the fight against terrorism, President Kenyatta urged African countries to step up their support to the continental Peace and Security Council to ensure continuous progress in countering terrorism and violent extremism.
He said Africa must stand ready to provide the required backing be it administrative, military or financial to enable the PSC to carryout out its mandate effectively.“
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