Tuesday, June 17, 2014 Uhuru: Political groups to blame for Mpeketoni killings

By BASILLIOH MUTAHI

In Summary

• President Kenyatta said police officers in the area failed to act on intelligence, adding that all the "negligent" officers would be charged in court for abdicating their responsibility
• He said urged citizens to be vigilant, avoid speculation and taking the law in their own hands.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said the deadly attacks in Mpeketoni are not the work of the Somali militant group al Shabaab, instead blaming local political networks for the killings.

"Evidence indicates that local political networks were involved in the planning and execution of the heinous attacks," the President said.

The President was speaking Tuesday afternoon during a live address to the nation from State House in Nairobi.

President Kenyatta promised action against hate speech and ethnic intolerance, criticising political leaders for propagating ethnic divisions.

"We live at a time when our people are vulnerable to reckless leaders and hate-mongers, who manipulate them, to create hate, intolerance and fanaticism...

"There is no constitutional protection for hate speech, incitement and other abuses of free speech... This rhetoric is unacceptable and will not be condoned...," he said.

President Kenyatta said security officials in Mpeketoni failed to act on intelligence, adding that all the "negligent" officers had been suspended and would be charged in court for abdicating their responsibility.

Lamu Police Commander Leonard Omollo, district commissioner, Mpeketoni OCS and other top officers are among those who have been interdicted over the attacks.

AVOID SPECULATION

The President condoled with those who had lost their loved ones, saying Government would cover the funeral expenses.

President Kenyatta urged citizens to be vigilant, avoid speculation and taking the law in their own hands.

He made a call for all Kenyans to reflect deeply on what must be done to keep the country safe, and not allow fear and helplessness to dominate.

48 people died in the initial attack in Mpeketoni on Sunday by gunmen who arrived into the sleepy coastal town in minivans.

The attackers also destroyed property and vehicles, burning a police station, petrol station and a building housing banks and hotels in the town. More than 20 cars, including those belonging to the police were were burnt.

A second attack on Monday night left at least 15 dead and several houses torched.

(Read: 15 killed in fresh Mpeketoni attack)

The Shabaab have claimed responsibility for the two attacks but Kenya's Interior minister Joseph Ole Lenku earlierTuesday insisted that the killings were politically motivated.