Security beefed up at key installations after twin Coast bomb explosions

The government on Sunday reacted angrily at the twin explosions as details emerged over the nature of the weekend blasts.

A hand grenade and a home-made bomb were used in the simultaneous attacks at a prayer rally in Mtwapa and in a restaurant at Mombasa’s Tononoka area in which a man died and 30 injured.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga led four ministers in condemning the incidents and declaring that the group’s attacks had hardened Kenya’s resolve to get rid of it.

“We cannot allow a terror group to disrupt not only our security but also our economy based on the tourism industry,” he said, warning, the government would act decisively to protect its citizenry.

In a thinly-veiled attack on the outlawed Mombasa Republican Council (MRC), Mr Odinga asked how the group could talk about secession when Coast region was part and parcel of the Republic of Kenya.

“Let’s not use historical injustices to make divisive utterances that Pwani si Kenya while we all know the Coast region is part of Kenya.” The land and unemployment issues being raised by the group could be tackled by the government, he said.

The PM drew cheers from the public when he led them into declaring Pwani ni Kenya and challenged MRC to come clean over its demands through negotiations.

Flanked by four Cabinet ministers Saitoti (Internal Security), Amason Kingi (Fisheries), Esther Murugi (Special Programmes) and Dam Mwazo (Tourism), Mr Odinga assured Kenyans that security forces were alert and ready to deal with any internal or external attacks.

The PM reiterated that Kenya’s forces would continue operations until peace was secured in Somalia.

Prof Saitoti said: “The government in November last year decided to push further the group to Somali after they committed a series of abductions in Lamu. I am asking the police to exert more pressure internally to ensure we restore confidence to our tourists both domestic and international as we usher in the Easter season.”

The minister said the same group which was responsible for the Nairobi attack three weeks ago might be associated to those responsible for Tononoka and Mtwapa.

At the same time, the minister issued a stern warning to a group causing tension in Coast Province. He warned the MRC against carrying out any attacks in the region since it is interfering with tourism sector.

Earlier, the PM led the Cabinet team and local politicians in visiting the Coast Provincial General Hospital to console the victims of the twin blast before touring Mtwapa and Tononoka.

Prof Saitoti, who blamed Al-Shabaab for the Saturday evening attack, directed security personnel to intensify day and night patrols countrywide to curb infiltration of the terror group and its accomplices.

On Sunday, Al-Shabaab said in a statement on Twitter that insecurity in Kenyan cities was an embodiment of Kenya’s “misguided policies that place foreign interests above its national interests and the security of Western nations above the security of its citizens, thereby wasting the lives of its men and its resources for no real gain”.

Bomb experts who have been scouring the two sites for crucial information told the Daily Nation that whereas the explosive lobbed at the crusade was a hand grenade, the one that went off inside View Stadium Bar and Restaurant was a home-made bomb.

Security around key installations within Mombasa and its environs following the weekend twin blasts was beefed up as police intensified investigations.

Reported by Mwakera Mwajefa, Antony Kitimo, Daniel Nyassy