Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, on Monday, January 6, 2020, reached out to the President Donald Trump-led US government requesting support.
While giving an address during a meeting with media editors in Nairobi, the CS admitted that the country was in at risk due to terrorist activity in neighbouring Somalia.
He, therefore, requested the United States to consider supporting Kenya's proposal to list Al Shabaab as a terrorist organisation.
“We are in the neighbourhood of hell. Terror is brewed next door.
"We are asking the US to support our campaign for Al Shabaab to be listed as a global terrorist organisation. Al Shabaab is not a missionary organisation. If listed we will decimate this group that uses blackmail and other criminal means to raise income for its activities," stated the CS as quoted by People Daily.
Matiang'i further stated that by listing the group as a terror organisation, the country would be furnished with various means including legal, administrative and political measure to counter the threat.
This came just days after suspected Al Shabaab gunmen attacked Camp Simba, Manda Bay, which is a US Marines training base in Lamu on Sunday, January 5, 2019.
Following the attack, Kenya Defence Forces released a statement confirming that four attackers had been killed.
During the meeting with editors, the CS also noted that the defence had evidence that Al Shabaab exploited university grounds as recruiting bases noting that some of the recruits were from wealthy families.
“There is evidence of recruitment at our universities. Universities have been turned into hubs for money laundering by terror organisations.
“There is a nexus between money laundering, drug trafficking and terrorism,” he noted.
Matiang'i was accompanied to the meeting by Interior PS Karanja Kibicho Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, Directorate of Criminal Investigations chief George Kinoti, and ICT CS Joe Mucheru.