Over 20 governors support KDF mission in Somalia as several call for exit

President Uhuru Kenyatta has received overwhelming support from governors across the country on his position that Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops will not move out of Somalia in light of sustained deadly attacks by Al Shabaab.

The governors supported the President’s position that the troops should not leave Somalia until all members of the terror group are eliminated. But some, like Tana River’s Hussein Dado, demanded that Kenyan soldiers vacate the war-torn country without further delay.

“We ought to congratulate our forces for doing a gallant job inside Somalia but the time has come for our troops to come home because they have achieved the main objective of stabilizing that country.

“Secondly, our forces cannot be there forever because even the government and members of Parliament in Somalia have been calling for KDF to leave,” said Dado.

He further described the Somali government as “a group that is not appreciative because they have been demanding Kenyan sea territory.

We had better leave and defend our borders from within and only pursue them whenever they try to attack us”.

Governor John Mruttu of Taita Taveta was also categorical that the Kenyan soldiers should leave Somalia. “I do not understand KDF’s strategy.

I would have thought that securing our borders is more important than occupying Kismayu.

We seem surprised when Al Shabaab carries out retaliatory attacks against us. Surely, isn’t this to be expected? We are at war but we do not seem to be on a war footing.

“If we do not have enough resources to be both in Kismayu and also secure our borders, then we should pull out of Kismayu,” advised Mruttu. But chairman of the Council of Governors, Bomet’s Isaac Ruto, said the troops should not be withdrawn because KDF has not achieved its mission in Somalia.

And Lamu Governor Issa Timmamy asked the country’s leadership to review the initial objectives of deploying KDF troops in Somalia before making a decision on whether to withdraw or not. “Before moving out, those in leadership must look at the pros and cons to safeguard national unity,” said Timmamy.

Nairobi County’s Evans Kidero, said “the decision of whether to pull out or not is a very weighty matter”, but promised to think through it before responding with a firm position.

Others like Marsabit Governor Ukur Yatani supported the continued stay of the soldiers in Somalia. He recounted that not all leaders supported the deployment of the troops when the idea was first floated.

Rethink strategy “It is important to remember that the sending of our soldiers into Somalia was not agreed upon by all leaders in the then grand coalition government,” said Yatani. He opposed calls for withdrawal of the Kenyan troops, arguing that the time was not ripe for a pull out, but called for a serious rethink of the strategy in Somalia and how to keep the terrorists at bay in all parts of Kenya.

“The country has to adopt a different strategy both in Somalia and at home. The current strategy has failed because the terrorists easily get into our country and harm citizens,’’ the Marsabit governor said.

He dismissed the argument that the Kenyan border is porous and easily crossed by members of the terror group, saying it is the duty of the country’s leadership to secure the borders. Yatani also questioned the rationale of kicking Al Shabaab out of its strongholds and at the same time leaving gaps through which its members could slip into Kenya.

Yatani, a career administrator who once served as a senior district commissioner and as Kenya’s ambassador to Austria, queried why neighbouring Ethiopia, considered the most hated country by the Al Shabaab, and the first to deploy its troops into Somalia, had successfully managed to keep Al-shababat bay.

“The security forces from Ethiopia are known to be disciplined, patriotic and committed to protecting their country. The situation is not the same with ours,’’ said the governor. “There are many challenges facing the security personnel in Kenya, including poor remuneration, indiscipline, corruption, ethnic bias and poor training.’’ Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo asked the Government to scale up security surveillance along the porous border areas to avert attacks.

KDF should stay put in Somalia since the withdrawal of our army from the war-torn country amounts to conceding defeat to the outlawed outfit,” said Doyo. Kirinyaga Governor Joseph Ndathi also scoffed at calls by some politicians to withdraw KDF troops from Somalia.

“What should be understood is that there was justification for Kenya to go to Somalia after Al-shabab made several attacks on our territory, including kidnapping tourists from Lamu,’’ he said. Ndathi once served as a district officer in Mandera and is familiar with the terrain and the danger posed by armed militia in the northern Kenya area.

“Rather than withdraw the fighters from Somalia, we should increase their numbers to contain the rising insecurity,” he said. Ndathi asked Kenya to borrow a leaf from the Ethiopian system, where every shopkeeper is armed and trained to deal with any insurgency, while instant justice is also dispensed against culprits.

Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu concurred with Ndathi. Border checks “KDF should not withdraw, because doing so will not end the insecurity problems our country is facing,” he said.

Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua also cautioned that withdrawing would be tantamount to giving in to the terror threat that has affected the whole world. “Let the KDF and AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia) intensify border checks and attacks on Al Shabab camps, especially along our border with Somalia,” said Gachagua Gachagua asked the Kenyan troops to be proactive and launch offensives against the terror group.

Source: The Standard