President Uhuru Kenyatta has once again said Kenyan troops will remain in Somalia “until after the threat posed by the forces destabilising the country and the region are neutralised”.
President Kenyatta said Kenya has always made it a priority to boost regional security and that is one of the reasons it has been involved in stabilising countries affected by conflict.
“In pursuance of this objective and that of the international community, our troops will continue being part of AMISOM until such a time that this objective has been achieved,” the President said on Thursday.
He spoke at the Kenya Military Academy in Lanet, Nakuru county, where he commissioned new cadet officers who have completed a rigorous three-year training programme.
In October last year, during the 7th annual KDF Day in Nakuru, Uhuru also said Kenya will not withdraw Kenya Defence Forces soldiers from Somalia before peace and stability is restored.
“We went to Somalia in 2011. We shall continue our presence in the country until the restoration of full security in Somalia,” he said.
“And so we will continue to maintain our presence in Somalia under AMISOM until our security objectives and those of the international community are achieved; including the restoration of peace and stability in Somalia,” he added.
President Kenyatta reiterated that a country’s prosperity depends on how well it balances peace, security, governance and sound economic policies and development programmes.
He said that is why military officers are encouraged to observe personal courage as they protect the country despite adversities they might face.
“Courage calls for self-confidence, moral ascendency, self-sacrifice, honesty, fairness, initiative, decisiveness and dignity.
“These values need to permeate all sectors of our society, inadequate measures, in order to enable us to vanquish the evils of terrorism, political intolerance, corruption and lawlessness,” the President said.
The newly commissioned officers have graduated under the revamped Bachelor of Science in Military and Security Studies programme, a unique undergraduate degree offered by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with Kenyatta University.
The programme is designed to produce junior military leaders for the Kenya Defence Forces and also allied countries. The programme is anchored on professional military training, academic training and character development.
