Tourism in new threat after attack on Army barracks

Politics and policy

An Administration Police Officer inspects damaged vehicles at the AP Camp in Malindi on November 2, 2014. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT 

By BRIAN WASUNA

In Summary

• Tourist arrivals in Kenya fell 15.8 per cent to 1.49 million last year as security worries kept visitors away.
• The poor performance of the tourism sector in the second quarter of the year slowed down economic expansion to 5.8 per cent compared to 7.2 per cent in a similar period last year.
• Most attacks in recent years along Kenya’s coast have been claimed by the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab, including the killing of at least 65 people in Lamu in June and July.

Simultaneous dawn attacks on Mombasa’s Nyali Army barracks and an Administration Police camp in Malindi on Sunday look set to dim the quick recovery of Kenya’s tourism sector.

A gang of between 15 and 20 men dressed in black and who wore red and blue ribbons around their heads and legs attacked the Army barracks.

Soldiers shot dead six attackers who also slashed and injured soldier as another gang attacked the Administration Police camp and destroyed property before they were repulsed.

The government blamed the outlawed Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) for the attacks. The attacks ended a lull in gun and grenade assaults that had hit Nairobi, Mombasa and Lamu, prompting Britain, the US, France and Australia to issue travel warnings that pushed bed occupancy in hotels to record lows.

Mombasa County Commissioner, Nelson Marwa linked the attacks to members of MRC, which wants independence for the coastal region.

“In the wee hours of today as it was raining heavily, a gang attempted to raid the 17 Kenya Rifles barracks in Nyali, but was met with fierce fire. In the process, six of them were gunned down while several escaped with gushot injuries,” he said.

“These were guys who were out to engage in war. We are holding one suspect,” Mr Marwa said.

However, MRC secretary-general Randu Nzai Ruwa distanced the group from the attacks.

The Army barracks attack is believed to have occurred at 5.15 am while the Malindi one took place at 5.20 am.

It remains to be seen how the Western governments will react to the attacks at a time when they were showing signs of easing the travel advisories.

The United Kingdom had in late September downgraded travel warnings for its citizens travelling to Kenya four months after it advised against all but essential travel, which reflected the growing confidence in the country’s security situation.

READ: UK downgrades travel warnings to Kenya

The attacks also came a day to the opening of the prestigious World Travel Market in London where Kenyan firms and authorities will attempt to woo European and American travellers shunning Kenyan beach and safari destinations because of the advisories and continuing concerns over security.

This cut the bed occupancy level at the Coast to below 20 per cent during the high-season, which starts in July, when hotels normally operate at more 90 per cent. The hotels say they need bed occupancy of between 60 and 70 per cent to break even.

Tens of hotels have closed shop while others have shed jobs, reflecting the poor state of a sector that is one of Kenya’s top foreign exchange earners and support auxiliary sectors like handicraft makers, taxi drivers, fishermen and farmers at the coast.