20091204

Nairobi — The Thursday heartless bomb attack in Mogadishu that killed 22 people -- three among them Cabinet ministers -- and left more than 40 other people badly injured demonstrated that vicious and vile insurgents are determined to destroy Somalia.

Coming after the September bombing of an African Union base which killed 17 peacekeepers, it means peace remains elusive in Somalia.

Critically, the bombing and turbulence in Somalia has far reaching ramifications for the eastern Africa region. Kenya, specifically, is in dire threat because of the influx of Somalis running away to seek refuge and, with that, the potential entry of militants and the proliferation of arms.

Kenya was host to the negotiations that led to the creation of the United Nations-backed transitional government. Members of that government routinely visit and live in Nairobi, making ours a potential targets for the insurgents.

For Kenya -- and her neighbours -- therefore, pushing for a peaceful settlement of the Somalia conflict is imperative. Strict surveillance is critical to pre-empt any threat, and equally important is the enactment of tough laws to deal with terrorism.

The United Nations, the African Union and other international organisations supporting the transitional government in Mogadishu must renew their resolve to end the conflict.