Uhuru Kenyatta criticises West over war on terror

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

President Uhuru Kenyatta during the interview with CNN in Washington, DC. 

In Summary

• He said travel advisories issued by some countries against Kenya were not only hurting the country but the whole world
• President Kenyatta said the world is not doing enough to support Kenya

By B M J Muriithi
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President Uhuru Kenyatta has said the international community is not doing enough to support Kenya in the fight against terrorism.

In an interview with CNN in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, Mr Kenyatta said terrorism is not country-specific but a global problem.

“The world needs to recognise the fact that this is a global threat which requires to be countered by a global partnership in order to defeat and secure, not just Kenya, but the world,” he told Richard Quest, the host of a popular show "Quest Means Business."

“We recognise that security is key in ensuring long-term stability and investment,” said President Kenyatta.

He noted that when the United States was attacked by terrorists, the whole world rallied behind the country.

“This is what we would like to see in the East Africa,” he said.

TRAVEL ADVISORIES HURTING

Asked whether Kenya felt “a bit alone” in the war on terror, President Kenyatta said Kenyan forces were in Somalia together with troops from other African nations but added: “We would like to see the world rally behind us and fully support our mission in Somalia so that our forces can expand their operations and reduce the area of Al-Shabaab’s operation.”

He said travel advisories issued by some countries against Kenya were not only hurting the country but the whole world.

“They don’t help in defeating these terrorists. If anything, they encourage and strengthen them,” he said.

In the recent past, a number of Western nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have issued travel advisories to their citizens, citing insecurity in Kenya.

“We feel that the world is not doing enough to support us,” said President Kenyatta.

President Kenyatta is in the US for the US-Africa summit hosted by Barack Obama.