George Kebaso and Victor Raballa @PeopleDailyKe
President Uhuru Kenyatta has mourned Kenya Defence Forces soldiers killed by Al Shabaab militants in Adde, Somalia.
Uhuru described the killings as heartbreaking saying the fallen soldiers had to pay the ultimate price for protecting the country from its enemies and their sympathisers.
“I want to take this opportunity to express mine and the country's deepest sympathy to the families and loved ones of the fallen. I stand with you, our country stands with you. We deeply appreciate the sacrifices made by your loved ones in defence of our democracy, our peace and our security,” said Uhuru in a statement.
He condoled the families even as police urged the public to be extra vigilant and report any suspicious persons or activities witnessed as it seeks to step up vigilance following a succession of terror attacks across the world.
Speaking to journalists at Police Headquarters, spokesman, Charles Owino said the current terrorist activities globally and the country's security response requires close collaboration between the public and police.
Owino especially called on commuters using public service vehicles to be vigilant on luggage left unaccompanied or unattended. Subsequently, he called on operators of these vehicles to open and inspect all luggage before allowing them into the PSVs.
“We call upon all persons assigned duty across the country to undertake it diligently in their areas of responsibility, for instance matatu drivers and conductors to be keen on the persons boarding their vehicles and more so the luggage that they carry or deliver,” said Owino, hours after military
bases in Somalia including that of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) had come under attack from Al Shabaab militia.
The same call also was directed to hoteliers; managers of lodges and shopping
malls including market centres, to take and keep records of persons patronising these areas.
“We are equally calling on landlords to keep proper records and details of their tenants,” he said.
Police asked private security guards and police officers manning areas of high human traffic and populace such as entertainment joints to be extra vigilant and up their degree of search and surveillance of their respective places of duty.
The spokesman said that all vehicles, including those belonging to the government must be searched at points of entry into offices, buildings, malls among others before being allowed entry.
“All senior government officials, parastatal heads, managers, top businessmen are asked to co-operate with security agents including private security guards,” he said adding that members of the diplomatic corps shall be handled in accordance to the law but are requested to cooperate with security agencies where necessary.
The security alert was given as KDF spokesman, David Obonyo confirmed that, indeed the Kenyan base in Somalia was attacked and suffered casualties whose details would be released at the right time.
“Either side of the Al Shabaab confrontation suffered casualties but the numbers are yet to be confirmed as consolidation is still going on,” added Obonyo in an update. He said KDF has increased its military operations against the Al Shabaab militia in a bid to contain the situation in Elade and its environs.
“The Ministry of Defence condemns this heinous act in the strongest terms possible and wishes to assure the public that KDF is doing all it can to consolidate the situation in the shortest time possible,” he said.
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