JSPES, Vol. 42, No. 3-4 (Fall-Winter 2017)
pp. 289–306

The Cost of Terrorism in Kenya

Wilson Muna

Kenyatta University, Nairobi Administration

Terror agents have hurled glaring attacks on both civilians and military personnel and have created what is seen as the watershed for Kenya’s security crisis. This crisis is associated with: (1) neighbors that are historically infested by conflict; (2) close diplomatic relations with Israel and the U.S. — with the former being blamed for the persecution of the Palestinian people and its strong ties with the latter; (3) the vibrancy of the tourism industry at the Coast that threatens the local Islamic culture; (4) and perception that the Muslim community in Kenya is excluded from the mainstream social, political, and economic arena. The effects of these terrorist attacks have included: (1) civilian and military casualties; (2) continued psychological and emotional suffering of families that have been directly affected; (3) trauma and anxiety amongst Kenyans and its visitors; (4) crippling tourism and the Kenyan economy; (5) an increased cost of running business due to the installation of sophisticated surveillance gadgets and personnel; and (6) a rising cost of living due to increased commitment of the national budget to security. This study calls on the Kenyan government to actively coordinate initiatives with local, regional, and international agents to address the root causes and effects of terrorism.