China embassy issues security advisory to nationals in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya

Chinese government has issued an unusual security notice to its nationals in Kenya citing heightened risk from geopolitical and local issues. 

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Zhou Pingjian

Through an advisory seen by our correspondent, the embassy warns Chinese in Kenya to pay attention to safety because in recent times, Kenya’s domestic security situation has become more uncertain given the global developments. 

“The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Kenya reminds Chinese citizens in Kenya to pay close attention to the local security situation, strengthen their own safety precautions, try to avoid going to areas where foreign tourists gather and crowded places,” the advisory, translated from Chinese, says in part. 

It further adds that the Chinese in Kenya should be cautious when traveling to Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Lamu counties and other Kenyan border areas.  

The security advisory comes at a time there has been an increase in terror attacks in Lamu and Northern Kenya counties, some targeting security officers, including the Kenya Defence Forces. In September, unspecified number of KDF officers were killed and others injured after a suspected Al Shabaab attack in Lamu. 

KDF spokesperson Brig Zipporah Kioko said the soldiers were patrolling the Milimani-Baure Road when their vehicle hit an IED planted by suspected Al Shabaab militants.  

Earlier in June, five people were killed when armed militants attacked two villages in Lamu county, Salama and Juhudi. 

In July, suspected Al Shabaab militants wounded at least eight soldiers during an ambush on a Special Operations Group unit camped near Ogorwen, Mandera county. 

Last year in March, at least five people were killed by suspected al-Shabaab militants at a construction site in Bodhei Majengo area, Lamu County, where a Chinese national was briefly detained by the attackers before being released. 

Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has, however, declared that the resurgence of terrorist attacks will be defeated.

Speaking during a thanksgiving ceremony in Isiolo County last month, Duale said security teams along the border and in Somalia are hunting down terrorists and their cells in our country.

“We will deal with terror cells and financiers within and outside our country,” he said.

On October 18, CS Duale held talks at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Mogadishu, where they agreed with his counterpart Abdikadir Mohamed Nur to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries.

On the same day, he also met Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud , Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and the senior officials from the Somali Defence Forces and discussed the security situation of the region and areas of cooperation in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.