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Kenyans thank President Uhuru for honouring late brave Muslim teacher who saved Christians

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In January, immedietely Salah Farah passed on, we asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to honour the brave teacher. Yesterday during his State of the Nation address at the National Assembly, Nairobi, the president recognised him as a brave Kenyan with a strong spirit of brotherhood. He was posthumously awarded with the Order of the Grand Warrior.

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PHOTO: The late brave teacher, Salah Farah at his hospitab bed in Nairobi. He was admitted at the hospital following injuries he sustained from gunshot wounds by the militant group Al Shabab.

Here’s what the president said: “” I want to pay special tribute to a Kenyan of Muslim faith, Salah Farah. He was shot and killed by terrorists near Mandera for shielding Christians from attack. He died defending people who he did not know. This is because he believed in their right to freedom of worship and he knew that every single life — irrespective of faith — is sacred. He is a powerful symbol of our country’s ambition to attain the full expression of secure and cohesive nationhood, and he is a costly reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting our freedoms. Salah exemplified the best of who we are as a country: a diverse people, united by our common love for liberty and peace, and above all our brothers’ keepers. His actions epitomise the Nationalist Covenant we so desire to live by. I acknowledge Salah’s family. I want to tell his children that their father’s sacrifice will never be forgotten, and will be long admired. In recognition of his remarkable act of valour, and on behalf of the people of Kenya, I hereby posthumously award Salah Farah the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya…”

Here is the full editorial we prepared about the late brave teacher, Salah Farah.

EDITORIAL: On December 24th, a group of Al Shabab militants attempted to separate Muslims from Christians and carry out massacre as witnessed the same period in the previous year. A group of Muslims, mostly of the Somali ethnic group stood up to defend their Christian countrymen in a show of solidarity and brotherhood.

In the word of Salah, the man who begun the protest, he said: “Kill all of us, or leave us alone.”

Salah Farah was shot after refusing to be separated from Christian passengers during the attack on a bus traveling from Mandera to Nairobi.

He succumbed to his wounds last week, leaving behind four young children aged between two and 10, and a pregnant wife who is expected to give birth as soon as next week.

Mr President, you should honour him not only because he saved Kenyans from the violence of Al Shabab, but because he put his own to save theirs.

Do not honour him just because he saved Christians, but because he saw them as fellow human beings and Kenyans. Honour him because he easily drove your point home—to let the the Kenyans and the World know that after all Al Shabab has done to wedge a religious rift between the Muslims and their Christians countrymen, Kenyans have never been more united.

Mr President, there is a number of good reasons why you should honour him: he saved you and the Jubilee government from the headache of defending your ability to protect Kenyans.

Mr President, honour him as a sign of appreciating heroism in the face of danger.

Mr President, in the unfortunate even that Al Shabab had been successful in their operation to slaughter Christian passengers, you would hold press conference to condemn them. Now that he saved the day, don’t you think he deserves to be honoured?

Mr President, Kenyans have honoured him in their small way: they initiated a hashtag to rally support for his family of five. They also contributed more than sh 200,000.

Please Mr President, you failed to honour him in his lifetime as a hero, kindly honour him in his death as a legend.

Please Mr President, heed our call!

 

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