Governor Natif Jama says it is time to shed the insecurity that has been associated with Garissa County and the entire Northeast for over a decade.
He said security issues and lack of security have created a negative perception of the county, which has given Kenyans a bad impression.
The county has witnessed some of the worst terrorist attacks in the past, resulting in many deaths and injuries. However, things have changed for the better in the last few years.
The governor singled out the media for blame, saying that many issues related to insecurity were often given prominent coverage as opposed to development.
He said insecurity was everywhere and there was no need to make undue fuss over the few incidents occurring in the area.
Jama, who said the county is planning its first-ever investment forum, said potential investors will want to ensure safety first before investing in the location.
He was quick to add that Garissa, like other parts of the country, faces insecurity challenges, but this will not hinder the region's prosperity.
Mr Jama said the media had a big role to play in changing the narrative of insecurity.
“As county leadership, we will continue to work closely with the national government to ensure peace and security and that residents can conduct their business without any fear,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that there was a deliberate effort to portray the county and the region as a whole in a negative light. The media forgets the damage that reporting can do, especially when it touches on security or the lack thereof. It tends to flow.”
Jama said Garissa was turning into an almost 24-hour economy with people from all over Kenya going about their business peacefully.
Regarding the Garissa University attack, the governor said the incident remains a dark history in the county and some parts of the country.
In the terrorist attacks on April 2, 2015, al-Shaab militants killed 148 people, most of them students.
Mr. Jama said the county has supported students not only with infrastructure development but also with scholarships, especially for students pursuing teacher training courses, which has resulted in a significant increase in enrollment at the university.
He said his administration would continue to praise the central government's efforts to raise educational standards by disbursing scholarships to students pursuing teaching courses at universities and colleges.
Concerns about security insecurity have led to a mass exodus of teachers in this region, which is having a negative impact on national exam scores.
Two months ago, Governor Jama led other leaders and education stakeholders in Garissa to thank President William Ruto for acting on the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force on Education Reform in Kenya.
The working group proposed removing the targeted cluster combinations.
Last week, the Kenya Primary School Principals Association North East Branch called on the government to address staffing shortages.
Chairman Hassan Farah said many schools are run by principals and teachers. Governor's meeting Teachers.
He was speaking during the opening of the two-day Kepsha Regional Conference held at Garissa Primary School.
