Kenyan leader pledges to beef up security

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta Sunday vowed to improve security in major cities and towns as well as all entry points to stabilise the East African nation.

Kenyatta said his government has embarked on installing CCTV cameras in major cities and towns, as well as broadband connectivity at border points.

"Our unity is needed now than never before. Terrorists, thieves and poachers threaten our lives, our property and our national heritage.

"Our first defense is our men and women in the disciplined services," Xinhua quoted Kenyatta as saying during celebrations to mark 51 years of self-rule.

The Kenyan leader said the government has also provided at least 1,200 vehicles for police, which in time will also be equipped with CCTV cameras.

"Our initiatives are not confined to security. To manage it, as well as our immigration, and to gather data far more accurate than we have now, my government will establish a national digital register in the coming financial year," Kenyatta said.

Cases of armed robberies targeting retail outlets in Nairobi, Mombasa and in northern Kenya have escalated this year.

According to testimonies from traders and security guards, crowded streets major cities and towns are the prime target owing to their volatile nature.