H.E. Mr. Richard Opembe:

Thank you, Chairman. I will begin with Deputy Crowe's questions. We have a very good programme in Kenya to ensure, first and foremost, that we act in the interest of the nation and its people and the international community. Since 1991, when this problem emerged in Somalia, the international community has ably supported these camps and contributed extensively to them. It has made every possible human contribution to keep these refugees from Somalia alive and ensure they are able to continue living in some form of dignity within the borders of Kenya, including at the Dadaab camp. The United Nations has played an exceptional role in keeping the camps habitable by providing for sanitation requirements and medical education and ensuring the individuals who are accommodated there are part and parcel of the internal community of Kenya.

The Deputy asked about the security situation, with particular reference to the Garissa attack.

An attack is an attack and the response to an attack is subject to the conditions that prevail in that attack. Garissa is 360 km away from Nairobi. Questions have arisen regarding the decision to have the internal security Minister and the local police chief in place in Garissa before a direct unit went in. Does one set up a command centre first or an attack programme? Members will recall the Westgate tragedy where there was a co-ordination slip that resulted in both the military and the police being in the same place seeking out the same objective. We did not intend to make that mistake again. That is why the decision was taken to set up a command centre first to ensure that any action thereafter was well co-ordinated and executed within the shortest possible timeframe. Westgate took four days; Garissa took 15 hours.

I will turn now to another issue of concern, namely the allegations that police officers made personal use of helicopters. I will not comment on this until the investigations are concluded. I am sure that a proper report will be submitted on that issue and will indicate what actually transpired.

Will al-Shabaab become a victor? Al-Shabaab will never be victorious in anything because whatever it does cannot signify any victory in any way whatsoever. It is not a victory when the sanctity of life is destroyed. Al-Shabaab does not merit any recognition by international governments or the Kenyan Government. It is a grouping of people who are perpetrating heinous acts that cannot be allowed to continue. The Kenyan Government will ensure that each and every element of al-Shabaab is dealt with.

In terms of Kenyan society and the place of religion, we do not and have never segregated along religious lines. We have never considered sending Somalis back to Somalia. In historical terms, there are Kenyan Somalis. We have a border with Somalia. We have shared interests with Somalia for many years and we continue to trade with Somalia.. No statement has been made by any Kenyan to the effect that we consider Somalis in Kenya as anything other than Kenyan citizens and our brothers and sisters.

The marriage Bill is still a Bill; it is not yet an Act and it is not enshrined in our constitution. The constitution of Kenya gives citizens their human rights and the freedom to engage fully, freely and without any inhibition. The Government of his Excellency, President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, has made gender parity one of the pillars of its manifesto. I made reference earlier to the Uwezo Fund and the Women Enterprise Fund. The Government of Kenya ensures that 30% of contracts are awarded to women and women's groups in order to build them up economically and to ensure that they are part and parcel of Kenyan society and equal citizens within the country.

Regarding NGOs and the loss of jobs, employment sustains people and provides them with an income. NGOs working within Kenya must be registered to be recognised and those employed by NGOs must benefit from the work they do. It is a requirement that they be registered and if they have nothing to hide then they must meet that requirement. If they fail to meet that requirement and continue with their work in the country, they are not in compliance with the regulations as set down. If all of the 4,000 NGOs are doing the job they came to Kenya to do, then all 4,000 should be registered and all those who have been employed by those NGOs should continue with their work. However, if they do not comply with the requirements set out, then it will be difficult for them to continue functioning.

In response to Deputy Eric Byrne, freedom of religion in Kenya is a constitutional right. The right to worship, freedom to worship, freedom of association and freedom of expression are all enshrined in our constitution. Al-Shabaab has been viewed as a Somali outfit, a terrorist organisation and a religious concern but it is none of those things. It is merely a grouping of criminals who do not respect the sanctity of life. Its members are criminals who shall be dealt with on a criminal basis. When they engage they separate Muslims from Christians and kill Christians in the name of a religious pursuit but they have never expressed what that pursuit is. They have never indicated who they are targeting or what their aims and objectives are. What do they want to realise? Al-Shabaab does not have one iota of respect for human life. The acts perpetrated by al-Shabaab in Kenya include the killing of 11 minors, 28 teachers and 147 university students in the north-eastern region as well as the detonation of explosives in several cities which have maimed many Kenyans.

They have contributed towards the economic decline of the tourism sector in Kenya, but their objective is unknown. We cannot pretend we want to engage with a group of criminals or that we can sit at a table and agree that their religious pursuit and attempts at radicalisation are something we can discuss. We cannot discuss any of these things with these criminals. They are not people who are worth our attention but they are people whom we shall pursue to ensure that safety is brought back to our country and that they will no longer be able to engage in these terrorist acts in Kenya.

I was asked whether education was being used as a weapon by al-Shabaab to bring about tension between those who are educated and those who are not educated. That has not been the position. Members who have already been to Kenya will know that the intention of al-Shabaab to create religious animosity has not worked and never will work. We have Somalis of Kenyan extraction in Nairobi and throughout Kenya, but never has a Kenyan, whether Somali, Bantu or Nilotic, or from western, eastern or southern Kenya, lifted an arm to attack a Muslim because of the al-Shabaab attacks. Religious radicalisation is not aimed at Muslims or Christians. Their target and objectives are unknown, so the people of Kenya simply look at the members of al-Shabaab as what they are - criminals who represent no religious cause.

The educated young lawyer who was involved reminds me of Osama bin Laden, who was also very well educated and very wealthy but was responsible for the setting up of al-Qaeda. We do not consider that education is part and parcel of the reason al-Shabaab is engaging in these activities. Education has never been an issue, nor has religion been propagated by al-Shabaab.

On the subject of the camp, I was asked how long was too long. How long is too short? From 1991 to date is 24 years and the Kenyan Government is now re-evaluating the whole Dadaab camp and looking at ways to ensure that the inhabitants of the camps are given safe passage back to their country to make a contribution to the economic growth of their country. AMISOM is there and there is a Somali national Government. There is a functioning economy. It may not be as good as we would like, but considering the situation it has been in for 24 years, that is perhaps to be expected. There must be a way, and we are working with the EU and the United Nations to that end. A ministerial briefing states that Kenya, Somalia and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees are to sit under a tripartite agreement to look at the modalities within which these refugees can be repatriated to their country in the most humane manner possible. We must take full cognisance of the fact that this is a humongous task, but some have willingly returned and there are those who continue to yearn to return. They must be facilitated and a programme must begin to bring this about.

Senator Walsh asked me a question. It is Kenyans who have died, whether they were students, miners, teachers or day-to-day workers. Three hundred and eighty-four have passed on, many have been maimed and many others psychologically injured by these acts. I appreciate the sentiments, but when do we start looking at the situation realistically and holistically? How can we help bring about a semblance of normality in Somalia? Do we continuously listen to the soundbites emanating from certain quarters? We are taking steps.

Someone mentioned the Daesh and the amount of money it has. In my presentation I indicated that the Kenyan Government has monitored and closed 86 foreign exchange concerns, because that is probably where some of their money comes from. This money is what propels terrorist activities.

The travel advisories concerning Kenya have had an adverse effect on the economy, and one must ask the question of whether the travel advisories would be better placed on Somalia than Kenya. We are the victim and, by virtue of that, we seek the international community's understanding that these advisories are having a damaging effect on our economy. We should not be in this position, and Kenya's role in trying to quell the conflict and bring a semblance of peace to Somalia should be commended. Nobody is talking about piracy any more, yet a couple of years back it was given huge attention. Nobody is addressing that now because the Kenyan defence forces did their job and got the situation under control, so that piracy is now negligible.

I have already said we are taking steps to deal with the refugee camp of Dadaab with the tripartite group involving Kenya, Somalia and the UNHCR. I was asked what I and the Kenyan Government want to be done. In my statement I said we looked forward to initiating consultations with the international community on the best ways to ensure that this act of al-Shabaab is dealt with and the security situation in Africa is improved.