Harakat al Shabaab al Mujahideen is a Somalia-based terror outfit. It has continuously conducted attacks and posed threat on the East African region primarily on Kenya and Somalia. Proximity to Somalia makes Kenya more susceptible to attacks from the militia group.
- Economic Threats
Kenya is one of world’s best tourist destinations and an international business hub as it has very friendly foreign policies that attract investors. In addition, her good relations with other region states playing a pivotal role to accessing the East African Community.
Al Shabaab attacks on Kenya are making her susceptible to investors pulling out or shying off from the country.
Travel advisories have progressively reduced the number of tourists in the country affecting the industry and the economy seeing as tourism is a major employment source and revenue earner for the country.
Kenya loses a lot of revenue from money laundering Hawalas that have in the recent past been closed down as they were used to launder money undetected for the Al Shabaab.
- Security Threats
Al Shabaab has repeatedly launched attacks on the Kenya citizenry killing innocents and damaging property. Their desperate attempts to remain relevant after the incursion into Somalia has caused the country to stay constantly on edge for the possibility of an attack at times creating panic.
Secondly, the Al Shabaab has been the main source of most of the illegal firearms and weapons in Kenya that are used to conduct crimes.
- Social and Cultural Threats
The conflict in Somalia has seen refugees flocking into Kenya. There long stay in the country has spiraled a lot of social threats among them competition for resources with the locals, communicable diseases and environmental depletion. The large numbers in the camps causes the emergence of criminals who terrorize Kenyans both in the region and urban areas.
Somalis cut across Kenya and Somalia and they have a bond of togetherness which helps recruiters camouflage and prey on the poor, unemployed and ideologically marginalized Muslim youth into joining the Al Shabaab.
The Kenyan culture of being hospitable and tolerant is endangered causing stereotyping especially of Somali Muslim youth as all belonging to the group causing terror activities in the country.
Despite the threat posed, the Kenyan government has devised numerous policies actively involving security, intelligence agencies to preempt the terror threats posed. The populace has also embraced collective security as a means to curb the threats posed.
