Kenya receives $66m refund for KDF spending in Somalia

GOOBJOOG NEWS|NAIROBI: The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has reimbursed Kenya $65.9 million for its military expenses in Somalia for the 2022/23 financial year.

According to records from the Treasury, the Ministry of Defence received the amount from the AU as part of the military financing plan which provides for countries to fund their militaries serving in Somalia and later claim reimbursements.

The reimbursement is the second highest since the Kenya Defence Forces were rehatted into AMISOM in 2012 following its incursion into Somalia the previous year. In the financial year 2020/21, Kenya received the highest reimbursement amounting to $89.4 million.

Kenya has since received about $590 million from the African Union in reimbursements since 2012. The reimbursements come ahead of the expected concluded withdrawal of African Union troops from Somalia in December 2024.

However, security analysts say the timeline is ambitious considering the level of preparation and Al-Shabaab’s continued hold on territories despite heavy offensives by the Somali National Army