The United States Embassy in Kenya on Thursday, February 9 issued a security alert to its citizens in the country. According to the United States, locations frequented by tourists and foreigners in Nairobi and elsewhere in Kenya could be targeted by terror groups “with little to no warning”.

The embassy noted that the Government of Kenya had enhanced counterterrorism patrols.

“Locations frequented by U.S. citizens and other foreigners and tourists in Nairobi and elsewhere in Kenya continue to be attractive targets to terrorists planning to conduct potentially imminent attacks,” the embassy noted.

“Terrorist groups could attack with little or no warning, targeting hotels, embassies, restaurants, malls and markets, schools, police stations, places of worship, and other places frequented by foreigners and tourists,” it asserted.

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The embassy advised its citizens to exercise vigilance at locations frequented by tourists and foreigners. It also advised them to review their personal security plans, to be aware of their surroundings and to monitor local media for updates.

The alert is likely to hit the tourism and hospitality industry, as the United States is one of the most important markets. With 137,000, the United States accounted for the most number of tourists to Kenya from a single country in 2021.

Kenya in 2022 received an estimated total of 1.46 million foreign tourists, with the industry steadily recovering from the lingering impact of Covid-19.

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