Mombasa Police chief, Robert Kitur, confirmed to reporters that around 17.10 (5:10 pm) near the entrance of Mombasa’s Makiti market, three men – one armed with a pistol – appeared from a corner of a building and shot dead a 28-year old German woman, identified as Christine Testa, and a 33 year-old Ugandan male, who is now undergoing treatment at Coast General Hospital.
Nothing was stolen from either victim. The pair had arrived from Nairobi earlier today and had planned to stay in Mombasa for two days before heading north to tourist-town of Malindi.
This is the second tourist murder in Mombasa to occur this month. On July 6th a Russian woman was shot dead in Mombasa’s Old Town while sightseeing.
The incident occurs a little over a month after Al-Shebaab claimed responsibility for attacks on several villages in Lamu county that have left up to 100 slaughtered. Both Mpekatoni and Hindi, where the most killings occurred, are about 150 miles north of Mombasa.
Some speculate that the tourist murders were politically motivated.
Witnesses told police that they saw two men – one armed with a pistol – approach the couple by foot. Others seem to recall the armed attackers on a motor-bike.
Regardless of who may be behind the attacks, continued violence on the coast underscores Kenya’s glaring lack of security.
A Twitter site called Free Somalia Tweeted:
@Somalisuperman: Pic: #AlShabaab shot dead a female German #tourist in #Mombasa, #Kenya :-… http://t.co/fRaoDWdt4C
Margot, I’m impressed by your willingness to consider “both sides” in the conflict i Kenya. Myself, I started with ambivalence and a heightened reminder of moral relativism, but quickly came to the conclusion Al Shebbab represented evil incarnate with no hope for redemption and an unquenchable thirst for jihad that will accept no com,promises with western civilization. I believe the government of Kenya is innately decent and has been too lenient with the terrorists.