KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Kenyan security agencies early this week (Tuesday) announced formation of a new multi-agency security team tasked with security threats detection and preemption during the festive season at the Kenyan coastal regional.
The multi-agency will work hand-in-hand to detect early stages of any possible threat during the festive season when coastal region is flocked by both local and international tourists.
According to Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa, the security agents will be tasked in curbing crime incidents as well as terror related events.
Security agents have already been dispatched to strategic locations within the county ready to tackle illegal sets that might attempt to disrupt peace during the festivity period.
“We are expecting more international and local tourists to throng the coastal city of Mombasa to celebrate Christmas and usher in New Year. Elaborate security measures are in place,” Marwa was quoted.
Security presence has been heightened; more police booths have been established at public beaches such as Jomo Kenyatta where large crowds are expected.
Police officers will also conduct regular patrols in intervals at Likoni channels as well at the beaches that are expected to host hundreds of holidaymakers.
In the past week, diplomatic vehicle number plates were stolen in Mombasa and Kilifi, government issued warning on the same and since then detectives are still pursuing the perpetrators.
Road blocks for checks have been erected along the highways to look for the vehicles which might be used to stage terrorist attacks.
SUMMARY
In the last quarter of 2015, the coastal region has witnessed relative calmness.
Kenya’s Intelligence Service has provided other security agencies with useful leads that have seen several would be terrorist attacks being foiled.
Apart from the coastal region, the government has also up-scaled security operations across the country, in north eastern for instance in Mandera County, government ordered all quarries close to the Somali border be closed and all workers vacate the places due to terror threats.
Additional security has been deployed along the porous border with Somalia, crowded shopping areas in the capital city Nairobi as well in other major cities in the country.
