Is security too tall an order for Government as grenades continue to explode?

By Cyrus Ombati

Kenya: The country’s security agencies continue to face a challenge in addressing increasing incidents of terrorism that have left dozens of people dead and scores wounded.

Such incidents happen with few or no arrests, bringing into question the seriousness of the agencies in deterring or addressing insecurity.

The latest and first incident to happen this year was at Tandoori Bar in Diani, Kwale County, where 10 people were injured.

Police said the incident occurred at about 3am in the club that is popular with tourists. Seven of the victims had serious injuries, according to police.

Police said an unidentified person lobbed the explosive device, believed to be a grenade, into the club before it exploded. Other versions indicated that a bag had been abandoned in the club before its contents went off.

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Msambweni OCPD Jack Ekakuro and Coast region Police Commander Aggrey Adoli said the injured are stable in a local hospital but no arrests have been made so far.

The attack is a blow to the tourism industry given that Diani is one of the busiest areas, attracting a large number of both local and international tourists.

Bomb experts arrived at the scene hours later and are yet to give details on the type of grenade used. Attacks of this kind have become common since Kenyan troops crossed into Somalia to contain Al-Shabaab militant activities.  

The grenade attackers usually claim they are retaliating against Kenya’s military presence in Somalia.  Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo said his agents have contained several planned attacks in the past year alone.

“We should not focus on only one incident to rate our performance. Our officers have done a lot to contain several planned attacks. They do not sleep following these terrorists,” he said.  Kimaiyo said Coast, Nairobi and North Eastern are areas of focus because of an increasing number of radicalised youths in these regions.

“But we assure Kenyans that the country is safe at large. Our officers are pursuing those radicalised youths and preachers behind the radicalisation,” he said and blamed poverty as the cause of the move by the individual youths.