Hospitalised Kamukunji MP flown to South Africa

By Cyrus Ombati

NAIROBI; KENYA: Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan was on Thursday morning flown to South Africa for further treatment following a terror attack outside a mosque in Eastleigh that left his legs fractured.

The MP confirmed he was evacuated for further treatment amid speculation one of his leg may be amputated.

“Safely landed in Jo'burg. I have been medically evacuated to South Africa for further medical attention,” he said on his Facebook account.

He thanked the doctors, nurses and staff at the Aga Khan and Al-Amin Hospitals for their dedicated service they offered him

Hassan was among more than 30 people who were injured in the blast on December 7, which was caused by a grenade that was hurled to him as he walked out.

Six people were killed in the incident, which sparked violent protests with locals demanding that authorities take action to stop such terror attacks.

Among those injured was the legislator’s bodyguard who has been discharged while six others are still in hospital with multiple injuries.

The evacuation shows the nature of the injuries he sustained.

Hassan was among those who sustained injuries in the grenade attack that occurred outside Hidaya mosque in Eastleigh where he was addressing his supporters.

This was just a day after 8 people were injured and one was killed in another blast in Eastleigh.

The same area suffered a serious blast last month when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that had been abandoned in a bus went off killing ten passengers.

In November alone, three blasts occurred in Eastleigh.

The mosque where he was attacked has installed CCTV cameras and lights as part of measures to curb and address such future incidents.

Police said they are yet to know the men behind the attack but they are looking for the owner and occupants of a car they believe was used in the grenade attack.

Nairobi Area police boss Moses Ombati said witnesses have told them a white car sprinted away a man who was seen throwing the grenade.

He added they have so far charged in court more than 300 suspects who were arrested in an operation that was launched after attack.

Ombati said most of those arrested did not have identification documents and are refugees.

Mr Ombati said it was still too early to establish the motive of the attack and whether the MP was the main target.

“The attackers were targeting a group outside the mosque which included the legislator. We are yet to know if indeed he was the main target,” said the police boss.

Internal security PS Mutea Iringo said most Somali refugees were roaming in the country instead of being at the refugee camps where they are registered and blamed them for the insecurity situation.

“Some of the suspects arrested are refugees who have their way from the refugee camps to here, and we will conduct countrywide operations to ensure all refugees are taken back Dadaab,” he said.

Iringo said the government was in talks with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to have them sent back home since normalcy has returned in Somalia.

Kenya has experienced a string of gun and grenade attacks since it sent troops into Somalia to pursue Al-Shabaab rebels.

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