European Union cuts Kenyan military funding in Somalia

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Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in Somalia. FILE PHOTO | NMG

NAIROBI, Kenya - The European Union has cut the Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] budget in Somalia by almost half, giving a further indication of the impending exit of the AMISOM troops from the Horn of Africa nation, which is still struggling with the Al-Shabaab menace.

This will pave way for the exit of the KDF troops serving in AMISOM, and subsequent repositioning to the Kenya-Somalia border which stretches along with the Jubaland state and the northeastern part of the country. There are close to 3,500 KDF soldiers in AMISOM.

KDF first joined the fight against Al-Shabaab under Operation Linda Nchi in 2011 but a year later, it joined the AMISOM team. Since then, the European Union has been one of the key financiers along with the UN and other stakeholders.

Treasury told Parliament Monday that Kenya received $45 million from African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) in the 12-month period to June 2019 against a target of $85 million. This now means the EU has started the formal withdrawal process.

The cut was linked to the partial withdrawal of Kenyan troops who were deployed to Somalia in 2007 to defend the internationally-backed government against attacks on the Shabaab.

“The amount was received was based on the number of actual troops deployed in Somalia. By July 2018, the number of troops was subsequently reduced,” Julius Muia, the Treasury principal secretary (PS) said without disclosing the actual figures.

The EU funds cater for allowances for the Amisom troops and police, international and local civilian staff salaries, operational costs of their offices, among others. The EU has been the single largest contributor.

The international community pays $1,028 (Sh111, 229) for each soldier per month, their respective governments then deduct about $200 (Sh21,640) for administrative costs, leaving them with a take-home of about $800 (Sh86,560).

Al Shabaab conducts frequent assaults in Kenya, mostly in the region bordering Somalia, to put pressure on the Kenyan government to withdraw its peacekeeping troops from Somalia.

KDF Sectors II and VI of AMISOM in Somalia, which stretches most parts of Jubaland. The KDF team flushed Al-Shabaab out of Kismayo, the regional administrative capital of Jubaland in 2012.

GAROWE ONLINE

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