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Victims of al-Qaida's 1998 bombing in Nairobi welcome killing but government urges US to pursue insurgents in Somalia
Osama bin Laden first came to the world's attention in 1998 with twin embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam; many in Kenya – where annual commemorations are held in honour of the 218 killed – expressed joy at his demise.
"That is the best news that I have heard over the past 12 years," said Charles Muriuki, whose mother died in the embassy blast. Mary Wanjiru Muriuki was killed after the suicide truck bombing at the embassy brought down the adjoining Cooperative Bank building.
"I feel comforted that finally the cause of justice has been served and I am in such a celebratory mood," he said.
The 25-year-old added: "Osama's death has come late but I feel that justice has finally been done. The man deprived me of a mother's care and there is nothing that can bring her back but our family is happy that at least the man who caused us anguish is dead."
Muriuki said that as soon as he heard the news he rushed to the memorial to the victims of the embassy bombings. "I kept writing messages to as many people as I could telling them to join the world in celebrations," he said.
Cabinet minister Joseph Kamotho, who was injured in the attack, said he was happy to hear the news but worried about retaliatory attacks.
"We should not celebrate the killing of Osama to the point where we forget to take precautions," Kamotho said. "The world needs to be vigilant because al-Qaida has a strong network and they may plan to retaliate."
Douglas Sidialo, who was blinded by shards of flying glass in the explosion, expressed similar concerns. "It's quite a huge relief for us and a reason for celebration that Osama bin Laden has finally been killed," he told Reuters.
"This is justice from the maker. However, I would rather he had been captured and confessed to his evil deeds. I fear that this might trigger renewed recruitment amongst those who viewed Bin Laden as a martyr."
John Githongo, Kenya's leading anti-corruption activist, said in an email: "It's usually un-African to celebrate someone's death. But his departure makes me think of the families of the thousands of Kenyans who were killed or maimed during the bombings in 1998 who can now find a kind of peace."
"What's really quite surprising is that he seemed to be living quite comfortably in Pakistan behind the main military barracks! Clearly, that Osama is gone does not mean what he has started will end; his mission has more friends and sympathisers than we ever really properly anticipated ..."
Official reaction to the news was positive, with Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki and prime minister Raila Odinga saying the killing would help salve the wounds of the victims.
Kibaki said: "I commend all those people behind the successful tracking down and killing of Osama bin Laden. His killing is an act of justice to those Kenyans who lost their lives and the many more who suffered injuries."
But Odinga warned more must be done to bring stability to neighbouring Somalia, where fighters linked to al-Qaida are waging an insurgency.
"Kenyans are happy and thank the US people, the Pakistani people and everybody else who managed to kill Osama," he told Reuters. "Osama's death can only be positive for Kenya, but we need to have a stable government in Somalia. The loss of its leader may first upset the movement but then it will regroup and continue."
The statements from the president and prime minister did not mention the demands for compensation for the victims of the attack, a sore point in relations between the US and Kenya because victims say they were technically on American territory in the embassy.
Mark Owiti, who survived the bombing, said: "I received the news with great joy. I sustained injuries and was hospitalised for a month at Kenyatta national hospital, but thank God am now back on my feet. But it is unfortunate that the US chose to compensate only embassy staff and left the rest to their means."
The death of Bin Laden was welcomed in Tanzania, where a simultaneous attack on the embassy in Dar es Salaam killed 11 people and wounded 72. But Robert Manumba, director of criminal investigations, said: "Osama is just one man, he is not the last terrorist in the world. The war on terrorism is not over. We have more battles to fight."