Uhuru accuses international community of isolating Kenya in fight against terror

President Uhuru Kenyatta has criticised the international community for doing little to support Kenya’s fight against terrorism. He said the country is increasingly feeling isolated by other nations-which he did not mention-in the fight against terror and even accused them of supporting extremists through their issuance on travel advisories.

“We do feel like the World is not doing enough to support us in confronting the challenges that we face,” Uhuru said in an interview aired by CNN yesterday.

The President was referring to the ongoing fight against Islamic extremism that has been the cause of heightened terror activity in Kenya responsible for dozens of attacks. 

Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab has specifically been the single largest security threat for the country, to which Uhuru said his Government had ‘tremendously increased investment in the security sector’ to mitigate.

Several countries including the US have issued travel advisories asking their citizens to avoid Kenya owing to the rising terror threat.

“They do not necessarily hurt us but give encouragement to the very same people that we want to defeat,” President Kenyatta said.

He said the World rallied behind the US when it was a target and fails to understand why it should be any different for Kenya.

In Somalia where Amisom forces are fighting Al Shabaab, the President said: “we need support from the international community to support the forces and the Somalia Government to reduce their area of operation.”

He defended the growing ties with China, saying Kenya is only looking for a “partner who is going to give us the best deal for growth”.