said Prof Buyu of United States International University - Africa
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| Kenyan soldiers on parade |
The BBC news on Monday night had a ticker tape running along the bottom that said; "Kenya declares war on Somalia" More accurately Kenya are declaring war on Al Shabaab who are the Al Qaeda of East Africa. Kenya has joined forces with the Somali Trasitional Federal Government to help flush Al Shabaab militants out of their strongholds in Somalia (it took four years for the TFG to get them out of Mogadishu). There was a brief news item on the subject that followed. Tonight, Tuesday - Kenya had dropped of the BBC news entirely. I'm a bit fed up with the BBC and their endless sensationalising, though it's important news nonetheless.
Meanwhile, I understand from the local newspapers that Kenyan forces had gone into Somalia days before any public statement was made. So covert was this operation that the press had to use archive photos and footage of Kenyan soldiers to run with the piece (much of it taken from the Promulgation Ceremony of the new constitution in August 2010). 'Invading Somalia' to fight Al Shabaab seems to have been a pretty ballsy move that has come without much, if any warning.
Local Kenya newspapers say that towns within Somalia which are Al Shabaab strongholds have already been overpowered by Kenyan forces. Their next target is the strategically important port town of Kismayu, through which much of the Somali piracy money is filtered to Al-Shabaab.
Now there are increased security threats to Kenya. Internal Security Minister George Saitoti told all Kenyans to be on the look out for suspected Al Sabaab militants who might be working undercover within Kenya, plotting to wreak destruction inland. Hotline phone numbers have been set up.
Quote from The Standard news:
On Monday, the Al-Shabaab militants warned of reprisals in Kenya if Nairobi did not withdraw its troops.
On Tuesday, the terror gang repeated the threats through its leader, Sheikh Hassan Hersi, in a voice recording on a supportive radio station. "They attack us by air and on the border; we must unite and fight back until we clear our territory.
"The Kenyan Government will lose many people and assets because of its intervention in our territory," he added.
Meanwhile, local news channels ask viewers to pick up their phones and send in text messages along the lines of; "any words you might have for soldiers now going deeper into Somalia - (this does not require a yes or no answer)." SMS messages are charged at 5/- higher than normal call rates.
Al Shabaab also maintain that they were not responsible for any of the recent kidnappings within Kenya. Kenya say that all the kidnappings were definitely orchestrated by Al Shabaab, apparently the Kenyan Government has irrefutable evidence.
It's scary but there's also an air of unreality about it all.
RIP to kidnapped French woman Marie Dedieu, who we heard today has died while inside Somalia.
I read your blog with interest this morning (as always) and was surprised by your comment about the article disappearing from the BBC news. I watched on Monday and followed the story on the Kenyan army going into Somalia. It was also headlines on Sky news, so I have just checked their website, and it has completely disappeared from there as well. It's almost as if it didn't happen, or, more likely, the media have decided on a news blackout. Perhaps the Somalians get their info from the BBC/Sky as well!? Whatever it is, I hope the situation improves for all very soon.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, I look forward to reading your blogs every day, and wait impatiently for the next entry! I rarely comment as I have nothing helpful or useful to say, but I love reading! Many thanks for your insights.
Hey Clarissa, thanks so much for your comment. Sorry that my updating is a bit sporadic at the moment.
ReplyDeleteWas sad to read that you rarely comment 'as I have nothing helpful or useful to say' - nonsense! Most of what I write is rubbish - I often feel that I have nothing helpful or useful to say - but as you can see this doesn't stop me!
I love receiving comments (except for the nasty ones of course?!) most of the debates conducted via comments are far more interesting than the posts I write.
Thanks so much for reading. I think it's time I lightened the tone of these posts before we all fall into collective depression! ...
Hmm - guess I should comment more often too! As a fellow ex-pat (American) living in Nairobi now for a year, your posts have been a good insight for me and have been helpful to add another dimension to life here for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
~ Kerri
No- don't lighten your posts! Although I, too, read often, I am a lurker who does not comment. Of course, I enjoy reading about your family and quirky elements of life in Nairobi, I also like your views on current events.
ReplyDeleteI travel to Nairobi frequently for business and have been following the news of Kenyan troops in Somalia with great interest. Your post contained news that I wasn't able to find in other sources- especially the SMS bit, which is rather odd, but sweet in a way.
Anyway, I look forward to reading your posts AND the comments they inspire. Keep up the good work!
I think the news blackout can be explained by the fact that no foreign journalist is ready to go into somalia.
ReplyDeleteHaving read Richard dowdens 'Africa', bit on somalia, I cant blame them. This is the last place anyone wants to be sent and the heroism normally accorded to warzone reporters in libya e.t.c does not apply here.
All in all, one simple factor will decide this war, Jets, The kenyan army has them, Al shabab have their rubber dingy's
It's a good thing imo. The less publicity it receives the less likely reprisal attacks from their sympathisers and possibly shish kabab themselves will be.
ReplyDeleteThank you for putting comments like this in your blog, as a newbie to Nairobi, and therefore a newbie when it comes to the politics of the place, your straightforward explanations of what may,(or may not!!)be going on, really helps.
ReplyDeletei have trust in the kenyan forces.no doubt the war has been won
ReplyDelete