The rate of Kenyans joining terror group is alarming, now Al Shabaab is using new tricks to recruit jobless youth to the terrorist militant.
Devolution and Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Chief Administrative Secretary Hussein Dado said the terror group is using scholarships to entice young people in Tana River.
Dado who spoke during a public baraza on Monday in Kipao village, Garsen constituency, said some youths were arrested while on their way to join al Shabaab.
He told parents to be cautious so that their children do not fall prey to the militants.
‘‘President Uhuru Kenyatta has initiated many programmed to support the youth and stop them from joining terror groups. Killing innocent people in the name of protecting religion creates divisions in the country,’’ he said.
The former Tana River Governor told parents to start scrutinising scholarships and free jobs being offered to young people.
“There is no verse in the Quran that says you should kill innocent people. As Muslims, we will continue opposing terror groups hiding behind religion. In Somali al Shabaab kills Muslims but when they cross over to Kenya they want to target Christians,’’ he said.
At the same time, Dado told pastoralist communities to take the upcoming census seriously. He said the data will be used to determine how resources are shared by the government.
Dado hailed the government for selecting Tana River among the 25 counties where a pilot project in which new digital identification cards will be issued starting this month.
Register for the digital IDs which will have a person’s vital information, he said.
Garsen MP Ali Wario and his Bura counterpart Ali Wario were present.