Exactly 10 years ago today, four gunmen stormed Garissa University and shot dead 148 people.

The attack and the high casualty number was attributed to a number of factors and security lapses including inadequate security measures, poor coordination, and delayed response among other factors.

The security agencies say they have drawn several lessons from the attack and a number of measures have since then been implemented to address such threats.

Though the threat of terrorism is still high, the security agencies have said they have adopted a multi-agency approach to dealing with the threats that have seen dozens of planned attacks thwarted.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said since the approach was adopted, different forms of crimes, including terrorism, human trafficking, and smuggling cross border crimes, have reduced.

The CS said there is coordinated sharing of intelligence among the security agencies. The agencies are guided by the Kenya Coordinated Border Management Programme and Facilitator’s Manual.

Sharing intelligence

According to Inspector General, Douglas Kanja, the ongoing multi-agency partnership has stopped major crimes and sharing of intelligence has enhanced many issues.

“We have had increased consultations, information sharing and increased utilization of resources. We have thwarted dozens of planned terror attacks through this approach,” Kanja said.

He added: “Every day should be dedicated to alertness, rejection of divisive rhetoric and safeguarding our community.”

Four and a half years after the Garissa University attack, the military also established Modika Barracks in Garissa to boost the force’s ability to fight terror in the region and other external land based aggressions.

The elite fighting group, the 17 Kenya Rifles at Modika, is one of the Infantry Formations in the Kenya Army and was commissioned by former President Uhuru Kenyatta on December 13, 2019.

Modika Barracks enhances presence in the North Eastern region to secure it and the border with Somalia and is also expected to reduce the response time in dealing with criminal and terrorist groups.

Also, a Parliamentary committee on security that investigated the incident made a number of proposals that have since been adopted hence better management of crime.

One of the proposals was that the government initiates a multi-pronged anti-terrorism and anti-radicalization strategy involving all stakeholders through the establishment of partnership with the public, religious and elected leaders, community leaders and the media.

Vulnerable areas

This would ensure that the citizenry, particularly in North Eastern and Coast regions, are actively involved in the fight against terrorism and radicalization.

It recommended that the National Police Service should also decentralise the RECCE Squad operations to County Headquarters, in areas which are vulnerable to terrorist attacks such as the North East Eastern and Coast regions.

“This will reduce the duration taken by the unit to respond to incidents of serious crime in areas far from Nairobi. The government should also initiate a public awareness sensitization programme on safety and evacuation skills, particularly targeting students in all schools and colleges,” the committee said.

The committee further established that Mandera was the preferred transit point used by al Shabaab to transport weapons into the country as indicated by evidence submitted to the committee on the planning and transportation of weapons used in the attack.

Refugee camps were reportedly being used by al Shabaab and their sympathizers to plan and launch terror attacks, the team said.

The large population in the camps had also made it difficult for government agencies to determine genuine refugees from suspected militia, the committee said.

Violent extremists

Among others, government agencies have been running a deradicalisation programme targeting various groups as part of efforts to address the menace.

After the attack, the Somali-based militia group Al Shabab later said it was motivated to carry out the attack against Kenya because that country sent its troops to Somalia.

The government has also warned that violent extremists are exploiting the vulnerability of the Kenyan youth to radicalize and recruit them.

The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) said economic hardship, marginalization, lack of education opportunities among other factors had made the youth vulnerable and the government has already adopted a multi-pronged approach to build and enhance their resilience.

The extremist groups have adapted tactics preying on the vulnerabilities of the youth. As a result, the security agencies have adopted more coordinated and inclusive approaches to build resilience against the lure of the extremists.

Kenya is currently hosting a seminar dubbed “Implementation of NSPCVE 2025-2030 in Practice: A Focus on Youth Engagement and Marginalization in PCVE in Kenya.

As part of the multi-pronged approach, counties have also developed laws to prevent violent extremism and radicalization within their departments and protect vulnerable people from radicalization and recruitment.

Unique challenges

The laws, based on the unique security challenges, will establish county institutions to provide linkages between national law enforcement agencies and community structures in the prevention of violent extremism in the respective counties.

The government is also enhancing community-driven and culturally sensitive approaches and also adopted softer approaches that include the involvement of youth and religious leaders.

The attackers stormed the university and shot dead two security guards before aiming fire at students who were preparing for their examinations. Witnesses said Christians were singled out by the militants and shot. Out of the 148 people that were killed, 142 were students.

More than 500 students managed to escape, some through a fence while some locked themselves in rooms and cupboards. At least 79 were injured in the attack.

Several suspects were later arrested in connection with the attack, and three of them were later found guilty of the attack. Rashid Charles Mberesero, who was given a life sentence, is a Tanzanian, while the other two men, Mohamed Ali Abikar and Hassan Edin Hassan, are Kenyans.

Mberesero was given the longest term because he was arrested at the scene of the massacre and could not explain his presence, the court heard.