Ismael Abdi Chairman of the Patriotic Youth of Kenya addresses journalists in Nairobi flanked by other youth leaders.
By Ronald Njoroge
Kenyan youth have given Dadaab MP Farah Maalim 24 hours to retract statements he made that he intends to mobilize youth from Garissa to go to Somalia and fight Ethiopia after Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland made an agreement to lease to Ethiopia part of its coastal land around the Port of Berbera to enable it access the Red Sea.
Ethiopia and Somaliland made an agreement on January this year to lease port access to landlocked Ethiopia despite Somaliland still being part of Somalia and therefore not an independent country.
Ismael Abdi Chairman of the Patriotic Youth of Kenya told journalists in Nairobi that Kenyan youth value the good relationships with neighboring countries like Somalia and Ethiopia.
“We are giving Farah Maalim 24 hours to apologize to the youth of Kenya and especially those from Garissa for making such inciteful and undiplomatic statements,” Abdi said.
Maalim made the remarks during the inauguration of the Puntland’s president on 25th January.
Zachary Mbeke, the secretary general of the Patriotic Youth of Kenya addresses journalists in Nairobi flanked by other youth leaders.
Zachary Mbeke, the secretary general said that Kenyan youth are embarrassed and angered by the MPs remarks.
Mbeke noted that Kenyan youth believe in peaceful conflict resolution in case of disagreements.
Anjela Maore, a student leader said that Maalim’ s remarks portray him as an agent provocateur who is welding incitement as a tool and appearing as a recruitment agent for militia groups.
“We expect all our leaders to protect and provide meaningful solutions to ensure youth are more socio-economically empowered,” she added.