By CYRUS OMBATI
The ship carrying controversial arms which Kenya claims ownership has finally arrived at the Mombasa port after being detained in Angola for almost two months.
The ship with six containers docked at the port on Sunday before military personnel were dispatched there to inspect and verify if the weapons on board are the ones procured, military headquarters said on Monday.
Military insisted the arms, which include ammunitions and rockets belong to them.
"The ship is being inspected by experts before the clearing agent does his job and hand over the weapons to us," said military spokesman Bogita Ongeri.
The ship was detained after the soya in six containers it declared it was carrying for a South African non-governmental organisation in Angola, was found covering guns, ammunition and rockets belonging to Kenya.
The detention of the ship raised questions ehether the weapons belong to Kenya military given they manufacture bullets locally.
Kenya Millitary showcasing her might during the promulgation of a new constitution in 2010. When pirates hijacked a ship with war tanks allegedly belonging to the Government of Southern Sudan in 2008, Kenya insisted the cargo belonged to its armed forces. The military ware is believed to have ended up in Sudan. Kenya is in yet another military shipment puzzle. [PHOTO: Andrew Kilonzi/STANDARD File] |
The anti-aircraft guns, rockets and ammunition were hidden under bags of soya.
When The Standard broke the story of the arms on the ship that was detained at the Angolan port of Lobito early March, government spokesman Alfred Mutua claimed the ship was carrying four containers of high-caliber bullets for Kenyan forces.
He made no mention of the anti-aircraft guns, and appeared to sidestep the question on who owns them.
According to Angolan media and CNN the ship was carrying bullets, anti-aircraft guns and rockets.
The ship’s crew failed to declare the weapons when the ship docked at Lobito to offload relief food, and it was only by accident that the Angolan port officials stumbled on them.
Ongeri said the importation was a normal military procurement and what he termed as an environmental scan had been conducted to allow the process.
"Event though we manufacture bullets, an environmental scan was conducted to allow the importation of the ammo in six containers," he said on the phone.
Sources within the armed forces, and who know the procedures of importing bullets for the military doubted the "importation", adding that the Administration Police, police, military, prisons and Kenya Wildlife Services get their supplies of
| Kenya military at a past rehearsal session in Uhuru Park, Nairobi |
"I do not think we have acquired different types of weapons that can require importation of different bullets to warrant such importation of four containers," said an official who is informed on such security matters.
An expert said Kenya has a bullet factory and it is rare for it to import bullets.
"Kenya has not been at war, and you will not expect bullets to run out so easily," he said.
There is also the question of why Kenya would import bullets from the US when its forces use guns from other countries.
Kenya’s armed forces use machine guns, sub machine guns, AK 47, G3, MP3 rifles and different types of pistols.
Reports indicate some units in the military have since 2008 been introduced to the M16 US sniper rifles, which arrived with enough ammunition that could last for years.
Kenya was previously caught up in an arms saga when Somali pirates who had captured a ship, MV Faina, revealed to the world that it was carrying T72 tanks and anti-aircraft guns destined for the government of South Sudan.
Even though it became apparent to the whole world that the Kenyan military was acting as a conduit for arms to another government, despite an embargo on shipment of the same to South Sudan, Government officials continued claiming ownership of the armament.
US diplomatic cables released by whistle blowing website WikiLeaks say the US government has evidence the tanks and guns were delivered the government of South Sudan.
