Terrorism won’t derail us – Jonathan, Kenyatta

Kenyan leader on state visit to Nigeria

Kenyan leader on state visit to Nigeria

President Goodluck Jonathan and his Kenyan counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta, yesterday showed solidarity against terrorists who have attacked both countries, leaving behind destruction of lives and property. They vowed never to be derailed

Both leaders spoke at the Presidential Viila, Abuja during a press conference after bilateral talks between their delegations on the second day of Kenyatta’s three-day state visit to Nigeria. Jonathan said no matter the terror attacks on Nigeria, Kenya and other African countries, the continent will never be derailed from implementing their development programmes.

Describing terrorism as cowardly and senseless, Jonathan and  Kenyatta  vowed not to allow terror cow them and slow down development of their countries.

President Jonathan commended Kenyatta’s courage for not cancelling the state visit over the terrorist attacks on Sunday in Kenya.

The President, who noted that such attacks were drawbacks, however, maintained that such will not derail the path to economic transformations in both countries in particular and indeed Africa.

The President said: “I also want to use this opportunity to express the condolence of Nigeria and government to Kenyan Government on the last terror attack. For us in Nigeria, we have been experiencing these dastardly acts for some time now.

“Kenya is beginning to experience it. We have to appreciate the courage expressed by  the President for not aborting the state visit and the invitation to the World Economic Forum because of the attack. It is a clear signal from here that the attack will not stop us from moving forward,” he said.

While condoling with Nigeria over Boko Haram’s deadly attacks, President Kenyatta said they were aimed at cowing the people, but assured that they will never succeed.

While noting that government alone cannot fight terrorists, he called for co-operation of citizens, adding that both governments will not lose focus of transforming their economies.

He said, “let me also from the onset use this opportunity to join you as well as in consoling your government and the people of Nigeria. Just like the people of Kenya, we have suffered at the hands of coward terrorists. People who have no value for  lives, who continue to wreak havoc on lives and properties in our two countries.

“Yesterday (Sunday), as the President has said, we in Kenya  lost a number of people and many others injured  in the cowardly attack that took place in Nairobi, Kenya.

“Indeed, these  attacks are aimed at cowing the people of our countries and this continent, to derail them from the new agenda that we have set for ourselves. My presence here is an indication that these people will not derail us. We will continue, we shall fight the fight and we will win the fight   and in the process, we will continue with our agenda of transforming our continent’s economy.This we must not loss focus on,” Kenyatta said.