Kenya puts Al-Shabaab financiers on notice in latest crackdown

NAIROBI, Kenya - Illicit trade in the northeastern has greatly fueled Al-Shabaab activities in Kenya, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang'i has said, adding that "we are now coming for smugglers".

Although the Kenya-Somalia border has remained closely monitored, unscrupulous businessmen have often sneaked contraband goods to the country.

While noting the economic effect on local businesses, Matiang'i said, "the effect has been catastrophic on the security of the country".

Northeastern has remained a hotbed of Al-Shabaab insurgents, forcing the government now to change strategy in a bid to crush the Al-Qaida associated group from the country.

Unscrupulous businessmen funding Al-Shabaab

The interior minister held a meeting with leaders from the north on Monday, where illicit trade was directly linked to the financing of Al-Shabaab.

Matiang'i said: "Illicit trade is a plague that is fueling the death of innocent Kenyans owing to its links to terrorist financing."

The financiers, he added, will now be handled like the militants, who have caused havoc on Kenyan soil especially in northeast and coastal regions.

"Those who engage in it are al-Shabaab’s foremost supporters and funders, and they will be handled like the terrorists," said the minister.

Major security crackdown

Security forces have now been keenly instructed to monitor the cross-border trade besides increasing surveillance to identify the unscrupulous traders.

Monday's resolution comes barely a fortnight after President Uhuru Kenyatta warned financiers, adding that they will be subjected to embargos.

"There's a clear nexus between the prevalence of contraband goods and al-Shabaab activities in the country," Dr. Matiang'i said.

He added: "The operation we have launched against contraband goods and smuggling is in the best interest of local businesses and our national security."

Although specific networks of cartels sponsoring Al-Shabaab have not been made public, the government is said to have narrowed the search to the local level.

Northeastern worst affected

For the last two months, Northeastern has witnessed the highest number of Al-Shabaab engineered attacks, leading to the death of dozens of people.

On December 6th, the militants ambushed a Mandera-bound bus, killing eleven occupants. The victims were largely non-locals.

Besides targeting non-locals, security forces have also been their major target. There have been two attempts on police stations in Garissa and Mandera, police said.

Locals have been linked to the attacks, forcing the government to rally for smooth coordination between security forces and civilians.

Local community efforts

And last week, political, religious and community leaders from the region held a series of meetings in a bid to come up with a common strategy to fight Al-Shabaab.

The regions have massively suffered a huge setback after dozens of teachers and doctors working in the region left due to safety concerns.

Adan Keynan, the Aldas MP, said: "it's time locals are armed so that they can help the police in fighting against these criminals".

However, the interior minister did not address the issue of armed locals. Instead, he asked for genuine cooperation with security forces.

GAROWE ONLINE