Diplomatic relations between Kenya and Somalia hit a new low recently, prompting Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi alias Farmaajo to call President Uhuru Kenyatta to ease tension.
According to a statement issued by Villa Somalia on Thursday, President Farmaajo called his Kenyan counterpart over recent tensions in Mandera County, northeastern Kenya, where Federal Government of Somalia forces engaged regional government of Jubbaland in gun battle.
The tensions in Mandera caused by fighting in Bulla Hawa, Gedo region, between Jubbaland federal state forces and Somalia National Army which spilled over into Kenya, came hardly 24 hours after 11 national members of parliament from northeastern Kenya chartered a plane to Mogadishu on March 1 and held talks with President Farmaajo — outside diplomatic channels. The MPs said the agenda was insecurity posed by al Shabaab incursions in the region.
The MPs travelled without notifying or getting clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Speaker of the National Assembly, causing a political furore.
“We must have a coherent foreign policy on Somalia. The MPs’ visit to Mogadishu gives the impression that the Kenyan foreign policy on Somalia may have failed,” said Erastus Mwencha, a retired diplomat.
But sources at Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The EastAfrican that Nairobi has no plans of changing how it engages with Somalia and that the onus is on Mogadishu, which has been carrying out a smear campaign against Nairobi.
Kenya considers Somalia a friendly neighbour with close historical, business and cultural ties, but which must be watched closely since conflicts in Somalia could affect Kenya’s security and business interests.
In recent communication to its counterparts in Somalia, the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote; “Despite this persistent and unjust campaign particularly in the media, Kenya remains restrained and temperate, appreciating that Somalia is still a state in transition and conscious of the need to deescalate the situation because further escalation would only derail the peace and nation-building process in Somalia, which is not in the interest of Kenya.”
The Mandera incident prompted President Kenyatta to issue a statement, saying: “The foreign soldiers in flagrant breach of territorial integrity and total disregard of international laws and conventions, engaged in aggressive and belligerent activities by harassing and destroying properties of Kenyan citizens living in the border town of Mandera.”
The recent escalation of tension started on February 5 when the Somalia ambassador to the United Nations, Abukar Dahir Osman, addressed the Security Council in New York accusing Kenya of being “destabilising force” in Somalia and threatened to initiate UN action against Kenya.
But President Kenyatta in his statement termed as baseless accusations and invalid allegations that Kenya is interfering with Somalia’s internal affairs.
“These are part of a growing and persistent pattern of ill intent to use Kenya as a scapegoat and a tool to justify challenges in Somalia for political reasons. Kenya will not accept to be used in that manner,” said the statement.
The clash in Gedo also attracted the attention of the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Somalia James Swan, who said there is a need to resume political dialogue in Somalia.
“We and the international partners are ready to support political dialogue as required,” said Mr Swan.
