However, they asked the Cabinet Secretary for the Interior, Gen (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery, to give a clear plan on how this will be done.

Christian Church leaders, in turn, asked the government to set conditions under which youths who denounce radical Islam will be pardoned.

The Christian Leaders' Consultative Forum — which represents Evangelical, Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal and Baptist churches — welcomed the decision to grant amnesty but said there should be a “demobilisation process” to ensure that those who get amnesty do not return to terrorist groups.

While giving the 10-day amnesty on Tuesday, Mr Nkaiserry warned that those who fail to heed the call would be treated as criminals.

He also told the parents and guardians of youths who have either gone missing, have been radicalised or killed in Somalia, to report these cases to the government.

"Failure to report will lead to presumption that they are aware and condone or are party to the terrorist training," Gen Nkaiserry warned.

He said youths who surrender will be trained and assisted to engage in income-generating ventures after being "de-radicalised".

WELCOMED AMNESTY

The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem) on Wednesday welcomed the amnesty offer but asked Gen Nkaissery to increase the period for surrender from 10 to 30 days.

Supkem, which is an umbrella body of all Muslim organisations in the country, also proposed those seeking amnesty "should not only surrender to the provincial administrators and security agents but also to reputable village elders, Sheikhs, Imams, priests and officials of human rights organisations," said Supkem officials said in a statement read by their secretary-general, Mr Adan Wachu, in Nairobi.

"Islam allows open reception free from any harm or denial for any person who surrenders and seek forgiveness," they said.

However, church leaders opposed a blanket amnesty.

"While we appreciate the amnesty extended by the government to those denouncing association with Al-Shabaab and radicalism and extremism, it should never be blanket," they said and proposed that each person be subject to set conditions.

"We need to remember that these youth being spoken about here willingly absorbed messages inciting them to kill Kenyans. They took attendant oaths and have in the past committed attacks in line with radicalisation," the preachers, who included Canon Peter Karanja, Bishop Mark Kariuki, Arthur Kitonga, Fr Charles Odira, Bishop Julius Wanyoike and the Rev Carlisto Odede, said.

According to them, a blanket amnesty would amount to abetting terrorism.

BLANKET AMNESTY

"The blanket amnesty does not even require them to denounce and reveal what the radicalisation entailed or who did it," they said at Jumuia Place in Nairobi.

They also criticised Muslim political leaders, accusing them of showing little commitment to taming radicalisation.

"We have noted that all the attacks have been committed by people professing the Islamic faith,” Bishop Julius Wanyoike from the Anglican Church said. “However, there has been a marked lack of commitment by the Muslim leadership to addressing the challenges in a forthright manner."

Canon Karanja, who is the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, said: "We have often turned the other cheek, but now the cheeks have run out. The government must move with speed to definitely and openly punish the perpetrators of these attacks before Kenyans take the law in their own hands and forment an endless religious war."

In Mombasa, Mr Joho said he was optimistic that the amnesty will work through a joint effort by community leaders, security agencies and the administration.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting he had convened for Muslim clerics on how to deal with insecurity and terrorism in the county, Mr Joho called for a clear strategy to guide the implementation of the amnesty.

"We expect it will give us the opportunity to understand what they are fighting for and put a face to them. These are not just ordinary criminal gangs but criminals that have different ideologies," he said.

SURRENDER TO AUTHORITIES

He spoke as County Commissioner Nelson Marwa asked youths who have been involved in terrorism, including those who had returned from Somalia, to take advantage of the offer and surrender to authorities. He promised that none would be victimised.

"We are asking the returnees and radicalised youths to give themselves up early to the chiefs, assistant chiefs, officer commanding (police) station, Officer commanding police division, Members of County Assemblies and other authorities," Mr Marwa said at a news conference in his office.

"No one will be arrested. No one will be harassed within the 10 days. This message is for you radicals, parents and relatives. If we cooperate, we shall see fruits. We must win the war against Al-Shabaab," he said.

— Reported by Laban Robert, Bozo Jenje, Aggrey Mutambo, Zaddock Angira and Muchemi Wachira