News Analysis by Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City
The terrorists bombing of the Ugandan capital, Kampala a week ago in which close to 76 people lost their lives has sent shock-waves and great panicking in the entire Eastern African region.
The incident occurred when the African Unity {AU} Summit of the African Heads of State and governments in only a week away. The Summit is scheduled to be held in Kampala on July 25, and as far as the security situation, many presidents and prime ministers of African governments expected attendance of the summit could be put into jeopardy
Many dignitaries, foreign ministers and top government officials could skip the summit on security ground, although a number of African diplomats in Nairobi were rather optimistic that the summit will go on as planned and dozens of presidents and prime minister would be in attendance as they do normally.
This year’s AU summit whose theme of “maternal and child healthcare is highly likely overshadowed by the events of last Sunday terror attack on football fans watching the World up final in a Kampala suburb of Lugogo’s restaurant.
The Al-Qaeda sponsored Al-Shabab Somali Islamist militia group has since claimed the responsibility for the deadly bomb attack. This has prompted several governments in the neighboring countries Kenya and Tanzania included to take stringent security precautions against any possible terrorists attacks.
This is because days after the al-Shabaab twin bombing attacks in Kampala claimed more than 76 lives, nationals of Western countries living and working in neighboring countries like Kenya and Tanzania have been asked to restrict their movements amid fear of similar attack in the region, especially in Kenya.
The expatriates in Kenya have been advised area frequented by Western nationals or maximize their time spent in such areas which include leading shopping malls, clubs, or popular coffee houses.
The largest concentration of foreigners and UN agencies make the Kenyan capital, Nairobi a new target for extremists organizations that have political or economic grievances with Western governments.
Frequent statements by the Kenya government regarding political support for the Transitional Federal Somali Government in Mogadishu {FTG} also put the country at the risk of similar attacks.
The areas which have been singled out as possible danger spots include the shopping malls, expatriate bars and clubs, most of these facilities are located in Westland suburbs of the Nairobi and also popular public joint and coffee houses in the City center frequented by foreigners.
The al-Shabaab terrorist had in May this year issued a stern warning to the governments of Uganda and Burundi, which are the main contributors of peace keeping troops in Somalia, known as AMISOM that it will strike deep in Kampala and Bujumbura and cause the two governments and their people to cry for a long time.
The Ugandan government, which has close to 4300 troops in Mogadishu responded by ordering the registration of all Somalis living in the country and the issuing of special identification cards to the refugees and those Somalis conducting business in all parts of Uganda. The Somali residents concurred with the government and appealed to their people to comply with the hew security arrangement initiated by the Ugandan government.
The belligerent Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni reacted angrily by warning the al-Shabaab militia in Somali of a dire consequences should they dare to attack any important public and economic installation in the country. Museveni said he would hunt down the terrorist in all their hideouts
The Ugandan and Burundian troops numbering a total of 6,300 men are mainly guarding the installation and important key building under the Transitional Federal Somali government, which is recognized by both AU and Un as the legitimate government of that country..
The FTG is also recognized by some Western countries led by the United States. And fears persist that the AY summit of the heads of state and government which is scheduled to be held in Kampala on July 25,2010 might flop due to unpredictable security situation in that country.
“in the face what happened last week, it would be inappropriate either to the terrorist even to us. Let us leave it at that. We have intelligence and we are using it and the perpetrators must know that no one will sit back and watch them cause mayhem at will.” Those were the words of Kenya’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Moses Wetangula.
Endsleooderaomolo@yahoo.com