Kenya downplays security risks as it courts U.S. investment

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses the nation during celebrations for Madaraka Day, marking the 51st anniversary of the country gaining independence in 1963, at Nyayo national stadium in Nairobi, June 1, 2014. REUTERS/Noor Khamis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, in Washington this week to court Western investors, has sought to downplay a spate of violent attacks tied to militants in neighbouring Somalia and their impact on Kenya's economy.

"Yes, we may have pockets where we have problems – which we know and are focussed on how to address. But the rest of the country is actually trouble-free," Kenyatta told Reuters in an interview on Thursday from a hotel overlooking the White House.