Mulligan 1

Renee Mulligan
English 3 (Honors)
Mr. Phillips
1 May 2015
Al Shabaab Inflicts Danger for Christians Granting Education in Kenya
For years an Islamic militant branch of Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab, has terrorized Christian
based facilities and has killed thousands of people who practice non-Islamic religions. Al
Shabaab is based in Somalia, about 600 miles from Kenya. This jihad terrorist group targets
areas in which people who process Christian tutelage are housed, transported, and educated.
Schools and universities are desired locations for terrorist onslaught inflicting danger on those
wanting to attend the schools, especially Christians. This jihad is motivated by the religious
differences and power wished by the militant group, influenced by Al Qaeda. Terrorism is
promoted by religion, thus it causes victims following a certain path to religion to be the main
target of these malicious acts. (Richard Chelin). Actions need to be taken in order for students,
locally and out of the area, to feel safe while getting the most substantial education. The Kenyan
government needs to regulate more security around education facilities and places that are prime
targets for terrorist attacks.
Schools that do not discriminate against religion in Kenya are being bombarded with
violent acts. In the past 16 years, many counter attacks have occurred where Al Shabaab has
attacked places for biased religious reasons. Recently, on April 2, 2015 at 5 oclock in the
morning four Al Shabaab terrorists attacked Garissa University, killing all Christians and

Mulligan 2
releasing all Muslims. There were 148 killed, the majority of the victims were mostly Christians
and a few security guards were shot to death. According to Maureen Maryego, who witnessed
the terrors while hiding in a closet said the families of the student were told that the students
were killed to pay for the arrogance of your political leader. Before being killed, victims of the
Garissa University massacre were forced to contact parents and put them in fault for their murder
on behalf of Kenyans government. Daisy Onyayngo, a student at Garissa University hid for 12
hours while listening to the gunmen torturing fellow classmates, saying it was the mission of the
terrorists to kill or be killed (The Economist). Education is the driving force for peace, says the
first principle of Garissa teachers training college, Hassan Sheikh Ali. If the [University] is
closed we will be playing into the hands of Al Shabaab. (Hassan Sheikh Ali). Garissa University
has been closed temporarily and if it reopens administration is worried students, Christian and
local, will not return to the University. Kenya hasnt experienced a terrorist attack this
detrimental since the 1998 attack in Nairobi. This intrusion had an outcome of 213 casualties
because of religious discrimination (The Economist). Many other incidents have occurred which
Al Shabaab have persecuted non- Muslims. 36 Muslims were killed on December 2, 2014 for not
reiterating Muslim practices. These atrocities affect the education available for those locally and
out of the area. According to the Anglican Archbishop, Elid Wabukla says that these attacks are
simply to blame others for their religious beliefs and differences, and that the attacks should
help us build bridges between faith and communities. (Fredrick Nzwili. The Christian
Century). The risks of going to school in Kenya are high, which can cause students to look away
from education in Kenya as well as places with similar acts of terror occurring.
Schools are easily accessible for attack, especially in Kenya where security is low, thus
more opportunities for protection need to be offered in order to ensure the students safety.

Mulligan 3
Kinangop legislator, Stephen Kinyanjui wants a movement to be passed in the National
Assembly where people who want to attend college undergo special military training in order to
have self defense if another terrorist attack were to happen (George Murage). Recently, since
attacks seem inevitable, the government wants students as well as security to be prepared if they
attend schooling in Kenya and Somalia. Many government officials, such as Natnif Jama Adam
are encouraging Kenyans to stay while the government makes improvements so security is more
evident to protect the schools (Natnif Jama Adam. The Economist). Providing schools with
adequate training and/ or knowledge of defense mechanisms could greatly improve the safety of
the students and faculty. If students were well trained and knew reasoning behind Jihad it would
suffice the crisis has been occurring in Kenya for the past decade.
The Arabic word Jihad, which means holy war, is symbolic of the type of war Muslims
feel they are engaging in. Jihad is primarily a religious concept of Islamic culture where terrorist
attacks are eminent. Most Jihads are based off waging war on God. (Selbourne, David).
Conflicts of religious terrorism root from radicalism of certain people. Conflicts include human
rights, economic gain/authority, discrimination against race, and unemployment. (Richard
Chelin). Al Shabaabs gain for power and hatred againt the peacekeepers throughout Africa, who
wish to abolish violence based on religious discrimination, have brought on the most rampant
attacks.
How do terrorist groups such as Al Shabaab influence the amount of danger for
Christians wanting to go to school in Kenya? If terrorist groups such as Al Shabaab are planning
on more attacks, schools in Kenya are easy and accessible objectives making all people,
Christian or not, at a high risk of danger . Because they are low on security breech and most of
the country is in extreme poverty, terrorist attacks are detrimental. Students who are religious,

Mulligan 4
but not Christians feel endangered as well. Terrorists main goal is to wage a holy war on God.
Christian leaders stated that individuals and businesses in historically Muslim areas in the
northeast and on the coast discriminated against Christans. (Kenya 2013 International Religious
Freedom Report). In Kenya, religious freedom is granted but still abused. In order to make
Kenya a safer place to live as well as get the proper and beneficial education needed, schools
should offer or require self defense training and hire more security to be prepared if more attacks
were to happen. If schools were in a safer area in Kenya, crime rate would decrease. Placing
schools in remote and tranquil areas would help students get more out their learning. Kenyan
education is valued by its people and should be taken advantage of without precautions of
terrorist attacks.

Mulligan 5
Works Cited
Chelin, Richard. "Religious terrorism in Africa explored in research." Post [South Africa] 15
Apr. 2015: 11. Global Issues in Context. Web. 29 Apr. 2015
"Could things get worse? An atrocity in Kenya." The Economist 11 Apr. 2015: 46(US). Global
Issues in Context. Web. 29 Apr. 2015.
In, Ed, International Religious Freedom Report For 2012. and United States Department Of State
Bureau Of Democracy, Human Rights. KENYA 2012 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM REPORT Executive Summary (n.d.): n. pag. 2013. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.
Murage, George. "School-Leavers Need Military Training - MP." Africa News Service 15 Apr.
2015. Global Issues in Context. Web. 29 Apr. 2015.
Nzwili, Fredrick. "Kenyan Christians alarmed by increased persecution from militants in
region." The Christian Century 132.1 (2015): 18. Student Resources in Context. Web. 30
Apr. 2015.
Onyulo, Tonny, Doug Stanglin. In Kenyan Town where Students were Massacred, its Not
Safe. USA Today. Gannett, 03 Apr. 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2015
"Politics." The Economist 11 Apr. 2015: 8(US). Global Issues in Context. Web. 29 Apr. 2015.
Selbourne, David. "The challenge of Islam." New Statesman 1996 2 May 2014: 24+. Student
Resources in Context. Web. 29 Apr. 2015

Mulligan 6
Zirulnick, Ariel. "Garissa University: Locals Question Calls to Shut down a Beacon of Hope
(+video)." The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Apr.
2015.

Web. 22 Apr. 2015.