"Security has been beefed (up) across the country," Kenyan Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku said on Monday.
Lenku called the killing a "heinous act perpetrated by bandidos", saying that security forces have chased the attackers down to a remote forest bordering Somalia.
"We must bring to book the perpetrators," he noted.
According to witnesses, late on Sunday, around 50 heavily-armed gunnies stormed a local cop shoppe in Mpeketoni, before starting to shoot at civilians randomly.
The attackers also set fire to two hotels where local residents were watching FIFA World Cup matches.
According to local police officials, 49 people were killed in the assault.
"Attackers hijacked a van from Witu town, which they used for the attacks. They raided Mpeketoni cop shoppe first and opened fire," said Mpeketoni area administration police chief Hamaton Mwaliko.
"Some hotels in the town are on fire. We understand the attackers have already fled but our officers are pursuing them."
Somalia's al-Shabaab
... the personification of Somali state failure...
krazed killer group has grabbed credit for the attack.