Raila pins blasts on al-Shabaab, as group warns of long war

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has blamed Somalia's islamist group Al-Shabaab for Saturday's twin blast that rocked Mombasa as the group warned Kenyans to brace for a long, protracted war.

Stung by the loss of life and the threat such attacks pose to the country’s multi-billion tourism industry, Mr Odinga condemned the attacks that left one dead and 33 others injured in the coastal town.

“We cannot allow a terror group to disrupt our security and our economy,” he said.

“Our resolve to ensure safety prevails here (Kenya) forced us last year to send our security forces in Somalia to hunt and rid this country of terrorists that threaten our peace,” he said.

Mr Odinga made the remarks after visiting the site of one of the blasts in Mtwapa, Kilifi County on Sunday. He was accompanied by Ministers

George Saitoti (Internal Security), Amason Kingi (Fisheries), Esther Mirugi (Special Programmes) and Dam Mwazo (Tourism).

Al-Shabaab rebutted Mr Odinga's remarks with a press statement released through their twitter handle @HSMPress on Sunday afternoon.

In the statement, the group warned of insecurity in Kenyan cities as long as Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) continue their offensive in Somalia. It further threatened of a long and protracted war.

"The deteriorating insecurity in Kenyan cities is 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," the statement said.

"The Kenyan public must be aware that the more Kenyan troops continue to persecute innocent Muslims of Somalia, the less secure Kenyan cities will be; and the more oppression the Muslims of Somalia feel, the more constricted Kenyan life will be.

"Such is the law of retribution. Your security depends on our security. It is a long, protracted war and Kenyans must neither harbour a reason for optimism nor hope for triumph."

In Mombasa, Mr Odinga assured Kenyans that security forces were alert and ready to deal with any attacks.

The PM reiterated that Kenya’s armed forces would continue its current campaign against the terror group within Somalia until the country achieves peace that has been elusive for the past 25 years.

And in a thinly-veiled attack on the outlawed Mombasa Republican Council (MRC), Mr Odinga asked how the group could talk about secession when the Coast region was part 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,” he said, adding that the group's grievances on land dispossession and and unemployment will be tackled by the government.

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

According to Mr Odinga, Mtwapa and the entire region was the backbone of Kenya's tourism industry and the government will ensure investment is protected against attacks.

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

Internal Security Minister George Saitoti directed security personnel to intensify day and night patrols in the whole country.

“We know the attacks were carried out by the Al-Shabaab. We are also investigating to determine whether the terror group is colluding with some people within the country to commit such attacks in the country,”  he said.

He added, “I am asking members of the public to give any information to the police regarding any person suspected to be a terrorist. We know the people who commit such crimes leave in our midst hence we should work together to secure not only Coast province but Kenya at large.”