[allAfrica.com]  [Africa_2003]


Foreign Security Teams Flown in

The Nation (Nairobi)
NEWS
June 1, 2003
Posted to the web June 2, 2003

By Patrick Mayoyo
Nairobi
British and American security experts are in the country to help beef up
security following recent threats of terrorism, Tourism and Information
Minister Raphael Tuju has disclosed.
Mr Tuju said the Government was negotiating with the US and British to lift the
ban imposed on British Airways and the lifting of travel advisories.
He was speaking at the Reef Hotel in Mombasa on Friday night during the annual
general meeting of the Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association.
Mr Tuju said the British Government had sent security experts to train local
hoteliers on how to deal with threats of terrorism.
The minister said the Government would start a public relations offensive to
reverse the effects of negative publicity from the recent terror threats.
"I have personally held a series of interviews with leading television
networks, radio stations and tourism journals in Britain to reverse negative
publicity," he said.
Mr Tuju said he would visit German, Italy and other European countries to do
the same.
"Currently the Kenya Tourism Board is constantly sending out bulletins to tour
operators in European markets to advise on the security situation in the
country," he said.
At the same, Mr Tuju defended National Security Minister Chris Murungaru for
his recent revelation of a terrorist plot against Kenya.
He said the move, which led to the banning of BA flights to the country and the
subsequent issuance of travel advisories by London and Washington, was pre-
emptive.
"The statement issued by my National Security counterpart would not have been
made if the threat was not real. Up to now, we are still in a state of high
alert, he said.
He said the terror threat had been identified and known to be real before Dr
Murungaru issued the warning.
Mr Tuju said the Government had stepped up security in all strategic
installations including airports, ports, foreign missions, hotels and an aerial
surveillance was being contacted along the Kenyan coastline as part of the
international anti-terrorism campaigns.
He said the Government was also set to start a communications programme to
educate the public on the role of tourism in economic development.
The minister said the initiative that was initially set to target Coast region
before being implemented in the other parts of the country, was part of
community policing.

   

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