Since 2011 when the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) launched operation 'Linda Nchi' Kenya has had to contend with frequent Al Shabaab attacks on her people.
The military intervention by KDF in southern Somalia in the year 2011 and again in 2014 attracted an expansion of Al Shabaab’s radical attacks within Kenya.
One thing that aggravated the situation is the killing of the terrorist's key strategist Emir Abdi Ahmed Godane. On several occasions, the terrorist cell has stated that their main aim is to have the Kenyan military operations in Somalia brought to a dead end. But the big question is, why Kenya alone and yet other countries like Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea are also involved in the operation?
It is undeniable that there is a very fertile base for radicalization in Kenya. By all aspects, socio-economic marginalization remains the biggest hurdle in the fight against terrorism. This could, partly, be the reason as to why a majority of Al Shabaab recruits come from the North Eastern counties of Wajir, Garissa and Mandera.
Even as the state security agencies strive to combat Al Shabaab threats, significant progress can only be attained if the mystery behind the country is an easy target is unravelled.