The re-opening of Garissa University today is likely to be met with mixed feelings. Even as the government assures students of heightened security, it remains to be seen how the turn out at the Moi University constituent college will be.
In a memo sent to the staff and students, the campus will be ushering in new applicants to the university before paving way for resumption of studies on January 11.
While visiting the area last month Deputy President William Ruto said key changes expected in the campus include opening of a police post within the vicinity of the institution to boost security.
Following an attack on the institution in April last year by al Shabaab militants, that left 147 students dead, there was a massive exodus of teaching staff and non-locals from Mandera and Wajir counties. The incident saw indefinite closure of the university by then Education secretary Jacob Kaimenyi .
Survivors of the attack, were transferred to Moi University in Eldoret to continue with their studies. Re-opening of the institution is seen as a sign of determination and resilience by Kenyans in the fight against terrorism.
The move comes after much consultations and the call by residents who moved to court in an effort to compel the government to take measures to resume operations at the institution saying their children were missing out on education following its closure.
Terror attacks in the Northern part of Kenya have adversely affected education in the region. In November 2014, al-Shabaab insurgents attacked a bus in Mandera at dawn, singling out and killing 28 passengers who could not recite an Islamic creed and were assumed to be non-Muslims.
The incident resulted in a refusal by 800 teachers from returning to work, instead demanding for transfers from the region over insecurity. Even before the stand-off between the teachers and the government was resolved, a teacher was shot dead in Mandera in May last yea, raising fresh security concerns in the region.
There are 567 teachers from Mandera, 260 from Wajir and 94 from Garissa. In April last year, two teachers in Mandera were kidnapped by suspected al Shabaab militia.
In the 4pm incident, police said the militia raided the house of the two teachers and bundled them into a vehicle before driving off to Somalia. The incident came a day after the militia took hostage a chief and later killed him.
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