Police assure Kenyans of safety as Shabaab attacks escalate

By John Kibet

NAIROBI:  Police Inspector-General Hillary Mutyambai has assured Kenyans that police are on high alert and asked the public to assist police eliminate criminals among them.

Mutyambai said this amidst rising attacks, which has left at least 10 people dead in a week – mainly at areas along the Kenya-Somalia border.

“Our officers are on high alert to ensure we have peace in the country. We want the public to help us by reporting any suspicious activities,” Mutyambai told journalists in Nairobi Monday.

The remarks came as three teachers were killed and one abducted early Monday morning at a school in Garissa before destroying communication masts and setting ablaze a police post.

“They also set ablaze a police post,” one senior officer said, “they have killed three teachers and our officers are pursuing them. They went away with another teacher.”

Monday’s attack also follows another at a primary school in Saretho, about 25 kilometers from Dadaab refugee camp, where four people, including a child, were killed last week.

In Lamu, Al Shabaab launched an attack at a US military base last week, killing three people, including a US soldier who was attacked at Manda Bay Airfield. Fiver terrorists were also killed in the attack.