Kenya has heightened security of Uganda and Burundi missions in the country following terror threats from militant group in Somalia daily Nation reports.
Security for the missions and diplomats from the two countries has been beefed up as the Somalia’s rebel group Alshabab threat hangs over the region.
At a meeting between Nairobi’s African diplomatic corps and the ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 14, Internal Security minister George Saitoti, who is also the acting Foreign Affairs minister, alluded to the terrorist threat in a speech in which he reassured diplomats resident in Kenya of their security.
The minister announced that the Police Commissioner had been directed to take “all possible measures” to protect diplomats from criminal acts.
Acting Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Patrick Wamoto, who attended the closed-door meeting, confirmed that the Uganda High Commission and the Burundi Embassy had received threatening calls, necessitating the enhanced security.
“When Uganda and Burundi sent their troops to Somalia, we knew such threats would come,” said Mr Wamoto, adding that the two missions had received some suspicious phone calls which necessitated tightening security around their premises.
“Whether the calls were hoaxes or not we were not going to take chances because we understand the crucial role they play in Somalia,” he added.
Uganda and Burundi are the only troop-contributing countries to AMISOM; other African nations have held back for various reasons, including the fear of retaliation from the Alshabab militants.
Alshabab which is fighting over control of Somalia with the internationally backed Transitional Federal Government forces has been a constant threat to regional security and has claimed responsibility for deadly attacks including bombings in Kampala in July 2010 that killed more than 70 people.
Tweet
0 comments:
Post a Comment