Salah awarded OGW honour for shielding Christians during terror attack

Salah Farah, the Kenyan of Muslim faith who was shot by terrorists near Mandera for shielding Christians from a terror attack by insisting that the Christians and Muslims would not be separated on grounds of faith by the Islamist fighters, has been awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya.

Speaking during the State of Nation address in Parliament, President Uhuru Kenyatta noted that Salah was a powerful symbol of Kenya’s ambition to attain the full expression of a secure and cohesive nationhood.

“Salah exemplified the best of who we are as a country: a diverse people, united by our common love for liberty and peace, and above all our brothers’ keepers. His actions epitomise the Nationalist Covenant we so desire to live by,” stated President Kenyatta. ” I acknowledge Salah’s family. I want to tell his children that their father’s sacrifice will never be forgotten, and will be long admired.”

Salah was on a bus travelling through Mandera when it was attacked by the Al Shabaab militants in December 2015.

The attackers told the Muslims and Christians to split up but he was among Muslim passengers who refused.

A bullet hit him and saw him hospitalized for over a month before he died while still receiving treatment.

President Kenyatta noted that the Government’s most critical duty; to protect the lives and property of its citizens, and the sovereignty of the Republic, is made more complex by “violent extremism, geopolitical rivalries, and organised crimes such as cyber-crime, and human and drug trafficking.”

He, however, stated that the government has implemented specific strategies to deal with security challenges, and have made a number of cross-cutting multi-sectoral interventions.

“We have undertaken National Police Service Reforms, Reforms in the National Administration, Reforms in Immigration Services, Correctional Services, Peace building and conflict management, and Citizens’ Participation in Security,” stated the President.

“Other reforms include: the Integrated Population Registration System (IPRS), Operationalisation of the Asset Recovery Agency, Integrated border management programmes, Inter-agency collaboration in investigation and prosecution, Multi-agency team on eradication of Corruption and Regional and international initiatives.”

The Head of State stated that the government has increased the number of police officers by 10,000 in the last 12 months with an additional 10,000 set for recruitment next week.

The government has also increased the number of patrol vehicles on the streets through the managed lease service framework.

“Modernising our security apparatus has been a cornerstone of our agenda and we have invested billions of shillings over the last year in specialised armoured transport equipment, weaponry, communications, air borne capabilities and personal body armour. The newly launched National Police Service, Communications and Surveillance Command Centre is a noteworthy illustration in this regard This facility is the nucleus of our strategy to leverage the benefits of technology to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of our security services.”

President Kenyatta noted that Kenyans and the world in general, face a threat of terrorism driven by a “globalised ideology that is fanatically opposed to the idea of a multi-cultural and peaceful society. It seeks to destroy our sovereignty, our democracy and annihilate our liberties.”

“This threat is global and we have seen it across the world, most recently in Pakistan, in Belgium, in France, in Nigeria, Mali, and Turkey to mention just a few.  One of this country’s greatest strengths is our religious and cultural diversity, and I am proud that our people refuse to be divided by the reckless actions of these criminals,” he added.