Officials in Nairobi have criticised a Kenyan travel warning from the United States, arguing the move was unnecessary.

The US had warned it has “credible intelligence of an imminent attack on tartest in Mombasa” and moved its staff in the city back to Nairobi.

However, Kenya authorities have claimed the highly visible move “fuelled hysteria”.

Since its troops entered Somalia last year, Kenya has been subject to threats by the Islamic terrorist group, Al Shabab.

The group has launched occasional attempts to disrupt public life in Kenya.

Previously, the American Embassy was bombed in 1998 by Al Qaida, followed by a 2002 attack on the Israeli-owned Paradise Beach Hotel.

After tea, tourism is the second largest revenue earner for Kenya.