NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 26- Somalia’s sensational claims that Kenya had armed a militia group to cause mayhem in the troubled nation lacked any evidence, according to a report by a team tasked to investigate the diplomatic tiff between the two neighbouring states.
Mogadishu had also accused Kenya of interfering with its internal affairs, without backing up the allegations with facts.
The team of investigators was drawn from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), following a formal complaint by Somalia against Kenya.
In their conclusion, the team did not find a solid reason for Somalia to severe its relationship with Kenya and called for a high level diplomatic engagement, to normalize the two country’s diplomatic engagements.
“The commission considers that these grievances, some of which are longstanding, do not appear to it to be sufficient to justify a diplomatic separation between Kenya and Somalia,” reads a section of the report seen by Shahidi News.
“It is true that the federal government of Somalia is sovereign in its decisions. However, on closer examination, it cannot help but be considered disproportionate and unproductive because the two countries are intimately linked politically, humanely and economically.”
Even after severing relationships with Nairobi, a jittery Somalia has sustained its war of words and accusations against Kenya.
The IGAD team has asked both Kenya and Somalia to consider carefully, consequences of a sustained diplomatic war.
For example, the investigators were concerned about the fate of 3,000 Somali students who crosses to Kenya every day in search of quality education.
The tiff, the report pointed out, also poses a hindrance to the functioning of AMISOM which “has since been experiencing difficulties in relief operations among Kenyan troops.”
The report also highlights the dire economic impact of the embargo on khat in Meru.
The probe was commissioned following the 38th IGAD Summit held in Djibouti on December 20, 2020, during which the regional Heads of State and Government meeting.
The summit discussed the diplomatic crisis that has affected the relationship between Kenya and Somalia.
Somalia had broken off diplomatic relations with Kenya on December 15, 2020, after having earlier recalled its ambassador and sent the Kenyan representative back to his country “for further consultations” with his authorities on November 30, 2020.
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The report however pointed out that Kenya had at some point violated Somali airspace.
Kenya denied all the claims when the investigations team met top officials led by defence Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma and Chief of Kenya Defence Forces Gen Robert Kibochi.
Those in the team included Yacin Elmi Bouh, Ambassador of Djibouti to Kenya – Aden Hassan Aden, Ambassador of Djibouti to Somalia – General Taher Ali Mohamed, Djibouti Armed Forces, FAD – Colonel Ali Aden Houmed, FAD – Colonel Mohamed Barkad Aden, FAD – Commander Houssein Idriss Egueh, FAD – Commander Abebe Muluneh, Director IGAD Security Sector Program.
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