NAIROBI, Kenya — Two explosions struck Kenya’s capital on Friday, May 16, 2014, killing four people and injuring many others.
One blast hit a minivan used for public transport near central Nairobi. The second occurred close to a market, according to Kenya’s National Disaster Operation Centre.
The explosions followed renewed warnings from the United States and Britain about possible terrorist attacks in Kenya.
Embassies Issue Security Warnings
Before the blasts, the United States Embassy issued a travel alert advising American citizens of a continuing terrorist threat.
An earlier warning said the embassy was introducing additional security measures “due to recent threat information regarding the international community in Kenya.”
Armed Marines patrolled the embassy grounds in protective equipment, while emergency drills instructed employees to take cover.
Britain separately advised its citizens to avoid Mombasa and nearby coastal communities.
TUI Travel, which owned the British holiday companies Thomson and First Choice, subsequently cancelled flights to Mombasa until October.
The company also flew its customers out of Kenya on Thursday and Friday.
The evacuation was a commercial decision and had not been ordered by the British government, whose warning applied only to the area around Mombasa.
Kenyatta Criticises Travel Alerts
President Uhuru Kenyatta began a previously scheduled news conference minutes after the explosions.
He offered condolences to those affected but criticised the foreign warnings and the withdrawal of tourists.
Kenyatta said terrorism was an international problem that had also affected cities including New York and Boston.
He argued that some responses to security threats could strengthen terrorists rather than help governments defeat them.
The president also announced plans to install 2,000 security cameras in Nairobi and Mombasa.
Tourism was a major source of revenue for Kenya, and security alerts had previously produced sharp declines in visitor activity.
Earlier Attacks Heighten Concerns
Kenya had experienced repeated shootings, grenade attacks, and bombings during the preceding 18 months.
The United States Embassy said more than 100 people had been killed in such incidents during that period.
In September 2013, four gunmen from the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabaab group attacked an upmarket Nairobi shopping centre, killing at least 67 people.
The bombing of the United States Embassy in Nairobi in 1998 killed more than 200 people.
More recently, Kenyan authorities, assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, discovered a large car bomb capable of causing extensive damage.
Scott Gration, the former United States ambassador to Kenya, said diplomatic buildings remained potential targets because they represented foreign governments.
Gration, a retired United States Air Force major general, said travellers should remain cautious by avoiding large crowds, limiting movement at night, and securing their homes and vehicles.
