Is Kenya’s foreign policy a fiasco or ingenuity?

By Joe Kiarie and Kenfrey Kiberenge

Kenya’s passion for diplomacy as the core formula to resolve cross-border disputes has now been put on the spot as foreign incursions hit unprecedented levels.

Kenya has traditionally acted as a peace broker in neighbouring states, particularly Sudan and Somalia and also supported the peace process in Uganda.

The country has now seemingly adopted similarly cautious approaches to tackle Uganda and Southern Sudan’s invasion of her territory as well as the recent murder and kidnappings of foreigners by suspected Al Shaabab militia in Lamu and Garissa.

But international relations, foreign policy and conflict resolution experts are warning that Kenya’s timid approach is hurting the country as aggressive neighbouring states take advantage of the status quo to violate Kenya’s territorial integrity and threaten national security with impunity.

Change policy

Tom Mboya Ocholla, a political scientist and international studies specialist, says it is time Kenya reverses its foreign policy, particularly regarding peace and diplomacy, since it is working against the country’s security.

"Some of the principles in the policy, among them good neighbourliness and peaceful resolution of disputes, are not serving the best interests of this nation. Territorial integrity is so sensitive and should be defended," he says.

Mboya warns that the laid-back approach in dealing with foreign incursions and territorial disputes will only worsen the situation, with every seemingly ignored incident inspiring another.

"It is no surprise that owing to Kenya’s failure to authoritatively deal with Uganda’s invasion of Migingo and Ugingo islands, Southern Sudan now has the audacity to officially include some of Kenya’s territory on its map. The same case applies to the kidnapping of foreigners in Kenya," he argues.

Time for aggression

The international relations expert says the unfolding territorial disputes critically threaten Kenya’s own existence, and advises the Government to take action, even if it means adopting military intervention, to secure the borders and protect its citizens and foreigners.

Ndung’u Wainaina, the executive director of the International Centre for Policy and Conflict, says Kenya’s foreign policy should not be used as a scapegoat when the country fails to commandingly respond to foreign assaults.

"Every nation has a foreign policy primarily hinged on diplomacy. But the US, for instance, will always forcibly go deep into its neighbour Mexico’s territory to root out drug barons who threaten the welfare of its citizens. This is because the core obligations of a country’s government are to protect itself and its people," he argues.

But Joshua Kivuva, also a foreign policy expert, says Kenya’s decision to approach the incursions diplomatically is the best. To him, it does not make diplomatic sense to deploy the military as a response to ‘bandit’ attacks.

"No country in the world can stop these kidnappings, not even the US," he asserts.

There have been concerns that the negative publicity stemming from the kidnapping of foreigners and resulting in multiple travel advisories undermine the economy.

But Dr Kivuva says the effects of Kenya going to war with any of the neighbours would result in permanent travel advisories.

Travel advisories

"When they hear that Kenya has gone to war with any of the neighbours, then the entire region will be declared a war zone and even after the war ends, it would take years to convince the world that it is safe," he argues.

James Shikwati, the director of the Inter-Regional Economic Network, equally says the current aggression casts the spotlight on the national leadership.

"With the alarming fall of the shilling, high inflation rate and the security threats, it is hard to tell who is in charge of this nation," notes Shikwati.

He says the situation has been worsened by the ongoing political campaigns, with leaders abdicating their official roles to engage in survival fights at the expense of national interests.

Economically, he says the situation will get worse until the country gets a better leadership arrangement that will prioritise security. He says apart from tourism, the regional economies of areas hit by the territorial dispute and militia attacks will drastically fall if the current situation is not reversed.

Kenya’s foreign policy usually pegged on five interlinked pillars: peace, economic, cultural and environmental diplomacy. And this thinking is reflected in the draft Kenya Policy Framework 2010.

It is informed by conviction that its own stability and economic wellbeing are dependent on the stability of neighbours.