Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga says "divisions are what terrorists thrive on" and is appealing for unity following the deadly attack on a hotel and shopping complex in Nairobi.

Odinga, who lost to President Uhuru Kenyatta in a bitterly disputed election in 2017, said on Wednesday that the Islamic extremist gunmen did not care about the ethnic, religious or political affiliation of their victims.

"Their mission was to cause pain and fear and they proceeded to do so without seeking details," Odinga said.

Al-Shabaab, the Somalia-based extremist group, claimed responsibility for the carnage at the DusitD2 hotel complex. 

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