US Is More Dangerous: Senator On Travel Advisory Against Kenya

Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana has criticised a recent travel advisory by the United States of America (USA) which cautioned its citizens against travelling to Kenya over security concerns.

On Tuesday, March 18, the US Embassy in Kenya released a travel advisory, warning its citizens about what it termed as "heightened security risks" when visiting the country.

The advisory specifically identified Kenya-Somalia border counties such as Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera as high-risk areas. Additionally, Tana River County and coastal regions north of Malindi were flagged due to ongoing threats of terrorism and kidnapping.

"Exercise caution in Kenya due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping. Some areas of the country have a greater risk," read the advisory in part.

Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana at the Milimani Law Courts on Thursday, October 6, 2022. /NAIROBI NEWS

"Violent crimes, such as armed carjacking, mugging, home invasion, and kidnapping, can occur at any time. Local police cannot often respond effectively to serious crimes and terrorist attacks."

Mungatana, in response to an advisory, however, criticised the US Chargé d’Affaires, Marc Dillard, while claiming that Kenya was a hundred times safer than the US.

Defending his region, the senator argued that the US Chargé d’Affaires had no basis to declare Tana River unsafe, as he had never visited the county and lacked firsthand experience.

"They have mentioned Tana River. I want to ask the ambassador, have you ever been to Tana River to say that it is an insecure area?" Mungatana wondered.

Mungatana criticized the advisory, calling it misleading and an attempt to damage the county’s reputation. He further asserted that the warning was rooted in stereotypes rather than factual evidence.

"Tana River is safe. If anything, you should be advising Americans, because America is more dangerous than Tana River by 100 per cent. Here in Tana River, people live in peace, and nobody gets robbed," the senator added.

He called on the US to move past stereotypes and acknowledge Tana River as a secure and prosperous region with substantial investment potential.

On the issue of terrorism, the embassy warned that government offices, schools, places of worship, shopping malls, and hotels could be targeted with little to no warning.

U.S. Army Soldiers from Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), training alongside Kenya Defence Forces soldiers on November 1, 2021. /US ARMY