MESSAGE FROM BOARD-DIRECTOR

The year 2018, Kenya witnessed sporadic terrorist attacks and most Kenyan killed and maimed. MATESOF managed to intervene by assisting the families and survivors of terror attacks. The positive implications for our Centre; we fairly managed to get grants from IRCT and UNVFVT. We expanded our office space to accommodate other staff and programmes. In the past year and a half, there have been numerous attacks involving shootings, grenades, or other explosive devices. More than 50 of these attacks occurred in northeastern Kenya, mainly in Dadaab, Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera counties. On December 2, 2014, terrorists attacked workers at a stone quarry near Mandera, killing 38 people. On November 22, 2014, terrorists surrounded a commuter bus traveling from Mandera to Nairobi on the outskirts of Mandera, separated passengers along religious lines and executed 28 people. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for both attacks. In addition, terrorists launched an attack against a small restaurant in Wajir frequented by Kenyans – and occasionally other nationals -- from outside the region; one person was killed and several were injured. Several attacks also occurred along the Kenyan coast. There have been numerous ambushes against Kenyan Defense forces in Lamu County with dozens of casualties. In July 2014, two tourists (a Russian and a German citizen) were shot and killed in separate incidents in drive-by shootings in Mombasa; it is unclear if the motive was robbery, as no personal effects were stolen. From June 15-17, 2014, there were at least two terrorist attacks that occurred in Lamu County with death tolls estimated at over 50. One of the terrorist attacks occurred in Mpeketoni on June 15. Also in 2014, on May 3, two separate IEDs detonated in the Mombasa area. One occurred at the central stop of a local bus company in which four people were killed. The other occurred at a local resort frequented by Westerners; one person was injured. On March 23, three unknown gunmen opened fire on a church service in Mombasa’s Likoni district, killing six people and wounding 18 others. On March 17, 2014, police discovered a large and sophisticated car bomb in the Mombasa area, as reported in the local media. The intended target remains unclear. On January 2, 10 people were wounded in a grenade attack on a night club in Diani, a popular resort area on Kenya’s south coast near Mombasa.
John Doe
Board DIRECTOR