US issues it's citizens in Kenya travel warning ahead of Obama's visit

Ahead of United States president, Barack Obama's visit to Kenya where he's scheduled to speak at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) which opens on July 24th, the US has warned its citizen's in the country of the risk of a possible terrorist attack.

In a statement, the US State Department said,

“As with all large public events, there is the opportunity for criminal elements to target participants and other visitors, large-scale public events such as this summit can also be a target for terrorists. US citizens should maintain a high level of security awareness.”

In a previous warning issued last May, the US embassy in Nairobi said its citizens should be “aware of continuing and recently heightened threats from terrorism and the high rate of violent crime in some areas.”

It would be recalled that in 2013, terrorist group Al-Shebab targeted the Westgate mall, Nairobi which is popular with expatriates in the country, killing at least 67 people in the assault.

After Kenya, Obama then travels on to neighbouring Ethiopia, where he will become the first sitting American leader to visit.

Both countries have been on the frontline of the fight against terrorist group, Al-Shebab, and have been important security partners to the US.