By Our Correspondent,
NAIROBI Kenya
Kenya security said Wednesday that it had reactivated all its known and unknown intelligence agencies to mitigate any threats following the deadly terror attack in Uganda’s capital Kampala.
“We are alert at the border in case those
behind the incident try to flee here. Locally, we are also on alert in case of
any planned incident,” said National police spokesman Bruno Shioso.
Shioso said they had activated security at
installations across the country and heightened security within urban areas and
along borders.
The warning is based on past incidents where
attacks in Uganda were followed by attacks in Nairobi.
“While we remain on high alert to safeguard
residents and their properties, we encourage the public to be watchful of any
suspicious persons and activities within their neighbourhoods and report the
same,” Shioso said.
Kenya deployed heavily armed police officers
around key installations on Tuesday in response to twin suicide bomb blasts
that rocked Kampala.
Uganda police said preliminary findings had
shown the Allied Democratic Forces could be behind the attack. They are Ugandan
rebels working with IS in DR Congo.
According to details reaching Taarifa
Investigative desk, the operations in Kenya have been heightened in parts of
Nairobi, Isiolo, Kwale, Mombasa, Lamu and the northern part of the country
where terror cells are said to be active.
Kenya government says that most of these terror
cells are run by returnees from Somalia. Most of those who plan attacks have
been to Somalia where they joined al Shabaab militants. Some were radicalised
in Kenya.
When they come back, some pretend to have
reformed, only to receive orders from their masters to launch attacks. Security
agencies following returnees and cells usually preempt the attacks.
Meanwhile, Security analyst Eric Gand has
chipped in to assess the current security situation in the region saying that
the Kampala bombing is an eye-opener that all is not well in the region
and Kenya must enhance its vigilance.
Sleeper cells are in Kenya and the terrorists
are just looking for the right opportunity to attack.
Eric Gand, however, has reservations about the
Kenyan leadership. “The biggest challenge is in the leadership, which doesn’t
want to listen to experts trying to proffer solutions to the security threats
posed by terror groups.”
“I myself have identified vulnerable areas that
the security agencies need to to invest in to tackle the threats. However, it
is sad that those in positions of leadership do not want to listen,” he adds.
According to Eric Gand “my approach is to start
by depriving these terrorists of safe havens. Once we get rid of these cells,
then we are able to start to address the real problem posed by terror groups.”
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