WAJIR, Kenya Jan 28 – Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has raised an alarm regarding suspected recruitment efforts targeting youths from Northern Kenya.
According to Governor Abdullahi, these recruitment efforts are allegedly disguised as job opportunities in Syria, Israel and Russia, while in reality, the youths are being lured into joining militant groups such as Al-Shabaab and ISIS.
“We are asking our youths not to be cheated or hoodwinked with goodies that don’t exist; we are pleading with them not to be radicalized into joining militant groups be it Al Shabaab, ISIS or joining all manner of terrorist groups,” said Governor Abdullahi.
“It is unfortunate that the youth from this region are being cheated that there job opportunities to go and fight in Russia and Syria. We ask the parents to know whether children are,” he added.
Governor Abdullahi, who also serves as the vice-chairperson of the Council of Governors (COG), warned recruiters and radicalizers that the Kenyan government is aware of their activities and will take decisive action against them.
“Don’t think that you will come to this region, recruit and radicalize our children into joining militia groups and you walk scout free, it will not be the case, the government shall deal decisively with such individuals,” he held.
The governor was speaking on Saturday when he launched the first phase of Kazi Mtaani program, aiming to clean the Wajir Town Municipality, clear bushes, and unclog drainage post-El Niño rains.
“We’ll employ our youth through Kazi Mtaani to address the aftermath of the El Niño rains, which has led to overgrowth of bushes and excessive plastic litter in town,” the governor stated.
Part of clean-up effort, the governor explained, includes collecting plastic waste which will be deposited at the site earmarked to construct a recycling plant.
“We are setting up a plastic factory, which will be a recycling plant that will convert all the plastics into building and interlocking blocks and cabro for paving the roads” he revealed.
The governor emphasized the clean-up exercise is part of his administration goal of making Wajir Municipality plastic-free and improving sanitation to combat mosquito-borne diseases.
The cleanup, road clearing, and plastic collection will span 30 days, providing youth with employment and incentives while reducing crime.
He instructed the County Sports Department to expand youth sports programs, ensuring year-round engagement and support for participants.
“We believe it will keep a lot of young men and young ladies off trouble as they will be kept busy and also allowing them to earn a incentives in a proper manner,” he held, adding that the mop up exercise will be devolved to sub county headquarters.
To deter youth from extremist groups, the county will sponsor sports activities, providing uniforms, equipment, and prize money.
“This initiative aims to keep our youth occupied in constructive activities, preventing them from falling prey to radicalization,” the governor emphasized.
