Defence Cabinet Secretary Rachyelle Omamo faults claims against Kenya’s military

Defence Cabinet Secretary Rachyelle Omamo has come out to defend the disciplined forces in Somalia over allegations that they are involved in smuggling of sugar into Kenya.

The UN Security Council banned charcoal exports from Somalia in 2012 to strangle financing for the Al-Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab.

In a statement to the media, the CS rubbished the report dubbed ‘Black or white - Kenya’s criminal racket in Somalia’ by Journalists for Justice, saying the claims were a “fabrication” meant to create enmity and discord between Kenya and Somali authorities.

The rights group released the report on Thursday, in which it said Kenyan soldiers fighting Al Shabab terrorists in Somalia have converted the war into illegal trade in charcoal and sugar that earns them about $50 million (Sh5.1 billion) a year. But Ms Omamo says the report was only meant to tarnish the good report the forces have had from 2011 when they made their first incursion against the Somalia-based insurgents and joined the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom).

She pointed out that a similar report published earlier had made similar allegations.

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“The origin and desired purpose of the allegations has been made to create hostility for KDF troops in Somalia. This intent has however not succeeded due to KDF’s professionalism,” Omamo said.

Also coming to the defence of Kenya’s armed forces is local security think tank Strategic Intelligence, which says the JFJ report is part of a bigger plan by foreign governments to get Kenya’s military out of the Horn of Africa country. “The Somali government backed by British operatives intent on making inroads in the oil and gas exploration on the Southern Somali coast colluded with the rights group Journalists for Justice to publish a document discrediting the Kenya Defence Forces,” says Strategic Intelligence.

Al Shabaab, which ruled much of Somalia until KDF’s incursion in 2011, still controls large tracts of the Somalia rural area and regularly launches attacks in the capital, Mogadishu. It has also attacked targets in Kenya, killing hundreds.