Comesa confirms support on move against al Shabaab

By Philip Mwakio

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) has pledged to support Kenya’s incursion in Somalia.

In a speech during the opening of a Comesa Committee of Elders retreat in Mombasa, Secretary General Sindiso Ngwenya said the block supports Operation Linda Nchi.

"We wish to express our support to Kenya in the fight against Al Shabaab. We have confidence the efforts will go a long way towards enhancing global security, especially in areas of terrorism and piracy," Ngwenya said in a speech read on his behalf by Brian Chigawaya, Comesa Director of Legal and Institutional Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Assistant minister Richard Onyonka attended the event.

Ngwenya said they were delighted to hold their first retreat in Kenya, which has been at the forefront in conflict resolution in the Horn of Africa and the mediation to end the 21-year-long conflict in Sudan. He said Comesa has been able to benefit from the committee of elders’ experience in election observer missions.