Al-Shabab massacre: Kenyan Minister, Police chief ousted

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has
replaced his interior minister and police chief
following a massacre by Islamist group al-
Shabab.
Both Kimaiyo and Lenku have been under
pressure to resign amid growing concern over
security in Kenya following a spate of attacks.
In the latest attack, al-Shabab killed 36
quarry workers in the north-eastern Mandera
region near the Somali border.
The development forced Kenya's police chief
David Kimaiyo to "stand down" while Interior
Minister Joseph Ole Lenku was dismissed.
The group attacked the workers around
midnight on Monday while they were asleep
in tents at the quarry in Kormey, 15km (nine
miles) from the town of Mandera.
Non-Muslim workers were shot dead after
being separated from the Muslims.
The president asked Kenyans to unite, and
said: "We will not flinch in war against
terrorists.
This is a war against Kenya and Kenyans. It is
a war that every one of us must fight."
"The time has come for each and every one of
us to decide and choose – are you on the side
of an open, free, democratic Kenya… or do
you stand with repressive, intolerant
extremists?" he asked.
President Kenyatta said Interior Minister
Joseph Ole Lenku was fired, and he
nominated an opposition politician and
former army general, Joseph Nkaissery, as his
replacement.
The president also announced that he had
accepted Mr Kimaiyo's wish to retire.

Posted By David Aniemeka