President tells off West on advisories

By GEOFFREY MOSOKU and ERIC WAINAINA

Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta has hit back at western countries over travel advisories warning their nationals against travelling to Kenya over insecurity.

In a hard-hitting remark, Uhuru scoffed at the travel advisories, which he termed as insults to Kenya while accusing the West of hypocrisy.

The President said terrorism is not unique to Kenya and said that in any case, the attacks began in the western countries, which have borne the brunt of the terrorism as opposed to Kenya.

Addressing a roadside rally last evening in Kikuyu town, Kiambu County, after attending a thanks-giving service at Alliance High School, Uhuru said the decision to evacuate tourists from Kenya would not affect the sector, adding that the State will concentrate on local tourists and those from friendly countries.

“Now they are issuing travel advisories and evacuating their citizens over the terror incidents, and we are telling them that they can go if they want. We aren’t afraid; we will do our own things here. We are there to promote domestic tourism and we will shop for tourists in other nations,” the hard-hitting Uhuru said.

The President said it was unfortunate that the West wants to avoid Kenya due to terrorism yet the country has always stood with them when they have been victims of such attacks.

He recalled September 11, 2001, when the US was hit by twin attacks when the then President, George Bush, called for support in the famous statement of ‘you are either with us or with the enemy’.

“Terrorism was not born in Kenya; in fact it started in their country (US). We supported them then and if you remember well, there was a time when President Bush (George) said ‘it’s either you are with us or against us’, so if they do not reciprocate the same, it’s their own problem,” Uhuru said.

Last week, the US, France, UK and Australia issued travel advisories warning their citizens against traveling to Mombasa, leading to mass exodus of tourists from the coast hotels. 

Somalia troops

Hoteliers and stakeholders in the sector have cried foul saying the advisories will badly hit the economy.

Yesterday, Uhuru said Kenya will continue to tighten security, saying he will not withdraw troops from Somalia, adding that the Kenya Defence Forces went to Somalia because it was unable to put is house in order.

The President cautioned Kenyans to be vigilant especially in public places such as bus stations and market areas.

He also told matatu operators not to take advantage of the new directive to harass passengers even as they intensify their security checks.

“I am telling even mama mboga to be vigilant on who her customer is and the butcherman not to accept any luggage that a stranger may want to leave in his shop,” Uhuru said.

Following the advisories, hundreds of  Western tourists are literally fleeing holiday resorts on Kenya’s coast.

Last week chartered aircraft arrived from Europe and left Mombasa’s Moi International Airport with hundreds of tourists fearful of terrorist attacks despite assurances of safety by the Government.

In Mombasa’s South coast, some of the tourists evacuated had arrived just a day earlier, signalling that most Westerners had taken the advisories seriously. Some hotels lost virtually all their guests after their mainly British visitors left.