The National Assembly yesterday said the Westgate terror attack may have been planned from a refugee camp even as it exonerated the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) from the alleged looting at the mall. Two joint House committees investigating the attack said following the alleged planning, it is a high time that refugee camps were relocated. The committees on Administration and National Security and the Defence and Foreign Relations made it clear that Kenya has no pact with any refugees and urged the United Nations to look for an alternative place for them. “It has been confirmed that quite a number of crooks planned the terror attack from a refugee camp. We need to consider relocating all the refugees, the United Nations should take them to other countries such as Zambia,” said National Security Committee chairperson Asman Kamama. Defence and Foreign Relations chairperson Ndung’u Githinji said, “We need to come up with a conclusive resolution to this and secure our country.” The announcements by the two committees came even as they defended the KDF soldiers, saying they did not steal anything from the mall. Although the committee said investigations were ongoing, they were categorical that the soldiers who undertook the operation at Westgate were only engaged in the operation to rescue the hostages. Yesterday, the committee said soldiers had recovered two AK 47 rifles they believed were used by the terrorists. Further, the committee pointed out that claims by certain individuals that they lost property were untrue as most of them indicated they had received all the items. Speaking after a meeting with Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku, Defence Secretary Raychelle Omamo and top security chiefs including, National Intelligence Service Director General Michael Gichangi, Inspector General of police David Kimaiyo, KDF boss General Julius Karangi, Department of Criminal Investigation chief Ndegwa Muhoro, the two committees said investigations show the KDF soldiers did not take part in any looting. – By MERCY MWAI
Source-thepeople.co.ke
