Kenyans deserve to know how KDF troops are doing in Somalia

That insecurity across Kenya is a major challenge is not in dispute. In fact, the spate of insecurity has gone so high that ‘ordinary’ crime seems to be taking the back burner in public conversations. Mass slaughter of innocent Kenyans over the last one month has got the country talking.

As it were, every time terrorists strike, they claim to be revenging for their own allegedly being killed by Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops in Somalia. And they demand the withdrawal of the troops as a precondition for stopping the senseless killing of innocent Kenyans.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has consistently said he will not withdraw the KDF troops from Somalia until the mission to stabilise the war-ravaged country is accomplished and peace and security achieved in the region.

In an opinion poll published in this newspaper, Kenyans agree that Al Shabaab poses a serious threat to security in the country. But the latest attacks in Mandera seem to have emboldened Kenyans and their leaders in a resolve to pursue and suppress the enemy at source. Most of the Kenyans polled support the presence of KDF troops in Somalia in the war against terror.

And a majority of governors we spoke to seem to have crossed ranks and agreed that our troops should be engaged in Somalia in the best interest of national and regional security.

National security is a prerequisite for economic growth and development. It would be a pipe dream for Kenyans to expect to grow into a middle-level economy by 2030 without seriously addressing the security challenges we face both from within and without our borders. And so, in pursuit of this security, no price in monetary or equipment terms should be too much to pay.

But the continued presence of our troops in Somalia must be properly explained to and understood by all Kenyans. The deployment of a national army for combat in a foreign land is not a matter for one political party to the exclusion of others. It is not a matter for the President in exclusion of the Opposition leadership. Indeed, it is not a matter for some regions of the country to the exclusion of other regions. It is a national matter; a matter that involves all Kenyans irrespective of gender, race, religion, region and/or political inclination.

When our troops made an incursion into Somalia in October 2011, Kenyans got to know about the decision for the deployment after the fact. For the longest time, questions have been raised as to when we will withdraw from Somalia and the response has been provided indifferently, at times arrogantly, creating the wrong impression that Kenyans have no right to know the terms and conditions of the engagement of our troops in Somalia.

Now that there seems to be general goodwill on the matter of the presence of troops in the neighbouring country, we urge the Government to come clear and engage Kenyans in explaining what exactly our soldiers are doing in Somalia. How far are we in achieving our objective for the incursion? Do we have a clear exit strategy? What is the cost, in terms of human life, of the presence of our troops there?

There used to be regular briefings on the progress being made on that front. Not any more. Why? We do appreciate that for strategic reasons, not all information can be shared with the public. But this cannot be an excuse to deny the public basic but fundamental information on our sons and daughters in combat against an invisible enemy in a foreign land. Sharing information with the public would go a long way in ensuring support for the mission and would allay suspicions of cover up for clandestine operations.