After at least 65 people were killed on June 15 in the predominantly Christian town of Mkepetoni, 40 km inland from Kenya’s mainly Muslim coastal strip, attacks in the area have continued and residents are sleeping in a nearby prison because they are scared to stay at home.
On July 5, in a Hindi village 20 km from Mkepetoni, up to 20 attackers killed at least 13 people with guns and knives. Among those killed was Kenya Kazungu, who was found with a Bible on his back in a pool of blood. On July 7, assailants arrived at Covenant Church as a Bible study ended. As participants fled, two men, who instead chose to hide, died when the attackers set fire to the building.
The Somali Islamist militant extremists Al Shabab appear to be claiming responsibility. But Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has also blamed local leading politicians, including the opposition governor of the local county, Lamu, whose arrest – on charges of murder, terrorism and eviction of residents – the President ordered after the Mkepetoni attacks.
