President Commends Walk Of Hope Youth From North Eastern

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Walk of Hope team members comprising of; Mr. Noordin Badil Tube, Mr. Ahmednour Saleh Mohamud and Mr. Salah Mohamed Abdinour when they paid him a courtesy call at State House, Nairobi. | image source: PSCU

President Uhuru Kenyatta has commended youths from North Eastern who walked for almost a 1000 kilometres preaching peace and unity.

The President said the North Eastern youth had set a good example and encouraged young people across the country to be at the forefront in the search for solutions to the challenges facing the country including insecurity.

President Kenyatta spoke at State House, Nairobi, when he met three of the young men who managed to finish the 1000 kilometre “Walk of Hope”.

The three – Noordin Badil Tube, Ahmednour Saleh Mohamud, and Salah Mohamed Abdinour – trekked from Garissa to Mandera during the month of Ramadhan when they were fasting.

The walk initially attracted hundreds of people but many dropped along the way as the journey progressed across the difficult terrain of Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties.

The President said young people have a big role to play in consolidating the country’s unity and promoting peace.

“The country’s prosperity lies in our unity and everyone of us playing their part. To do that we have to shun tribalism and negative ethnicity,” the President said.

He said the youth should be brought on board and facilitated to fully participate in addressing challenges facing the North Eastern region.

Narrating their experiences during the walk, the walkers said in every village they stopped along the route, they spread a message of hope, tolerance, co-existence and anti-radicalization among the people of the region.

Members of the North East Professional Association led by their Chairman, Dr. Abdirizack Arale, accompanied the youths on the State House visit.

Dr Arale said the association is committed to working with the Government and the youth from the region to ensure peace and security.

He said the association supported the “walk for hope” because it believes that “hopeless is a recipe for disaster”.

The meeting was also attended Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Abdikadir Mohamed, the President’s Advisor on Constitutional Affairs and North Eastern Regional Commissioner Mohamud Saleh.

- PSCU