Faith Nyasuguta
FBI Director Christopher Wray (pictured) has concluded a five-day visit to Kenya, reaffirming the commitment to collaborate with the East African nation to ensure regional peace and stability. Wray emphasized the importance of continued cooperation between U.S. and Kenyan security agencies to address ongoing terror threats from groups like al-Shabab.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will partner with Kenya’s security agencies to enhance operations aimed at maintaining stability in Kenya and the broader region. Speaking at Kenya’s Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Wray highlighted the necessity of joint efforts to combat criminals who pose threats to both local and global peace and stability.
“The bad guys are not constrained by international borders, so the good guys should not be either. Together, leveraging our collective insights and authorities, we’re making a huge impact on the threats we face, with terrorism being a top priority,” he said.
During his visit, Wray toured shopping malls, a national park, and the Dusit D2 Hotel, the site of a deadly al-Shabab attack in January 2019 that claimed 21 lives. In February 2020, a year after the Dusit D2 attack, the FBI and the U.S. State Department assisted Kenya in establishing the Joint Terrorism Task Force, which integrates various Kenyan security agencies and ministries to combat threats more effectively.
Kenyan security agencies have faced criticism for their lack of coordination in responding to terrorist incidents, such as the Westgate Mall attack in 2013 and the Garissa University attack in 2015.
However, the head of Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Amin Mohamed, stated that the Joint Terrorism Task Force has significantly improved the country’s ability to provide security to its citizens and visitors. “Our various security agencies were operating in silos. We decided to bring them together into a one-stop shop for exchanging information and ideas, and we’ve registered a lot of success,” he said.
Kenyan security expert Richard Tuta underscored the importance of collaboration in defeating cross-border criminals. “Collaboration in intelligence gathering, analyzing, and dissemination is crucial because it takes a network to beat a network. Criminals are networked, so security agencies must be networked,” Tuta explained.
He added that persistent security threats such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, terrorism, and cybercrime require concerted international efforts to combat.
The al-Qaida-linked terror group al-Shabab has not successfully conducted attacks in Nairobi in recent years, but it continues to target government forces and civilians in Kenya’s northeastern and coastal regions bordering Somalia.
Image: HANDOUT
During his visit to Nairobi, Wray met with officials from the ethics and anti-corruption agency, focusing on countering corruption, money laundering, and other economic crimes. Washington has pledged support, training, and modern investigative tools to help Kenyan agencies prosecute suspects involved in economic crimes that contribute to terrorism and insecurity on the continent.
Kenyan government agencies hope Wray’s visit will enhance their preparedness to manage the country’s security and, if necessary, extend this capability to the region. This strategic partnership aims to bolster Kenya’s ability to address complex security challenges and maintain stability in a volatile region.
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