Thursday, August 18, 2016
By SAMUEL KISIKA and WILLIAM MWANGI
KDF soldiers during a past patrol of Somalia. /FILE
Majority Leader Aden Duale has moved a special motion seeking Parliament's approval to deploy KDF troops in South Sudan as a "matter of urgency" as requested the UN .
The UN Security Council on Friday, August 13, authorized the deployment of a 4,000-strong protection force in South Sudan's capital, Juba, as part of the U.N. peacekeeping mission and threatened an arms embargo if the government does not cooperate.
Duale on Thursday said deploying KDF will see security beefed up in the country as well as deepen regional integration.
The motion is scheduled to be debated next week for adoption.
Read: South Sudan agrees to deployment of more regional troops during Igad summit
This comes as South Sudan's sacked Vice-President Riek Machar left the country Thursday morning, weeks after his forces were involved in deadly clashes with government troops.
Machar had initially fled the capital, Juba, during the violence in July, demanding a neutral force be deployed to keep peace and guarantee his safety.
The fighting erupted less than a year after a peace deal was signed to form a unity government and end the civil war.
Hundreds of people died after Machar and President Salva Kiir's guards fought each other, sparking days of violence in July.
More than 100,000 fled across the border; the rampaging soldiers are also said to have assaulted and raped women.
Kenya sent Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers to Somalia in October 2011 to help restore peace in the war-torn country.
The operation named Operation Linda Nchi was in pursuit of al Shabaab militants that are alleged to have kidnapped several foreign tourists and aid workers inside Kenya.