Kenya rebuilds mall that was site of Al Shabaab massacre in 2013. Has it rebuilt peace?
Kenyan authorities say the country's spirit has prevailed and assure shoppers of safety. But the US has issued a travel warning for Kenya in light of President Barack Obama's visit to the country in 10 days.
A construction worker rests at the reopened Westgate shopping mall, which was closed in the aftermath of an attack by militant gunmen in September 2013, in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on July 14, 2015.
Noor Khamis/Reuters
On Saturday, Kenya鈥檚 Westgate Mall 聽after being cloed for nearly two years following a massacre聽that left at least 67 dead,聽the Associated Press reports.
On Sept. 21, 2013, from Somali militant group Al-Shabaab stormed the Nairobi shopping complex with guns, launching a 聽until security forces killed them.
鈥淭he indomitable Kenyan spirit prevailed, they didn鈥檛 break our spirit,鈥� said Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, The AP reported.
Some shop owners reflected this resilience.
鈥淎s patriotic Kenyan business people, we are confident that to greater heights than it ever was,鈥� Terry Mungai, owner of Ashleys Beauty centre, told Kenya鈥檚 Business Daily. Her store will now have five times as much space as it did before the attack, she added.
Kidero told the AP that every business that had a shop in the mall is back.
franchises are among those to restart business, according to Reuters.
New security features will include explosive detectors, luggage X-rays, scanners to check underneath cars, bollards to prevent car bombs, and bullet-proof guard towers, Reuters reported.
Kidero reassured citizens the country was safe, pointing to US President Barack Obama鈥檚 upcoming visit to the country as evidence.
Obama is scheduled to give a speech to the in Nairobi, which will start on July 24.
But the US has issued for US citizens heading to Kenya 鈥� singling out the conference as a reason for heightened risk of terrorist attacks.
The statement noted: 鈥淎s with all large public events, there is the opportunity for criminal elements to target participants and other visitors. Large-scale public events such as this Summit can also be a target for terrorists.鈥�
The alert expires on July 30, after the summit ends.
海角大神鈥檚 Paula Rogo reported last week: 鈥淪ince 2013, [al-Shabab] has attacked Kenya 63 times, according to data as of late April from the Washington-based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.鈥�
Al Shabaab has killed more than 400 people on Kenyan soil over the last two years, according to Reuters.
In April, at a university in the town of Garissa.
Just last week, Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for killing 14 people in the Kenyan village of Mandera.
Vice reports since the tragedy at Westgate mall, Kenyan authorities have allegedly connected with the attack.
The BBC reported that some Kenyans questioned whether a of the renovated mall.