Why Kenya Is Vulnerable to Al-Shabaab Terrorism

The Washington Post blog ran a piece on 17 June 2014 titled "How Kenya Made Itself Vulnerable to Terror" by Harry Misiko, a copy editor at the Nation Group in Nairobi.  While the piece contains a number of valid reasons for the rise of al-Shabaab instituted terrorism in Kenya, it also omits several reasons.  The border between Somalia and Kenya is porous and al-Shabaab has collaborated with some members of the Somali and extremist element of the Muslim community residing inside Kenya to organize attacks.  Arms are readily available throughout the region.  Kenyan authorities have sometimes used draconian tactics in dealing with innocent Somalis in Kenya, further alienating the community.  Not enough has been done by Kenya to deal with root causes of terrorism such as economic inequality and political alienation among ethnic groups and opposition political organizations.