Thursday January 28, 2016
By Stanley Kimuge
Deputy President William Ruto welcomes Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at the Eldoret International Airport on January 27, 2016.PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Wednesday held a three-hour, closed door meeting with Kenya’s Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations in Eldoret.
Sources privy to the meeting told the Nation the meeting discussed the progress so far made in improving security in Somalia since the attack on the Kenyan troops in El-Adde on January 15.
The Parliamentary team was headed by its chairman, Tetu MP James Gethenji.
The meeting at Boma Inn Hotel was also attended by Somali Ambassador to Kenya Jamal Mohamed Hassan.
Mr Gethenji has said his team will launch investigations into the assault and interrogate Kenya’s role in the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom).
“We want to see debate brought to the floor of Parliament where we will discuss Kenya’s lead role in liberating Somalia,” said the MP.
Mr Gethenji is on record saying the operation has achieved significant gains, but time has come to “rethink and re look at the challenges.”
He added that they will run a parallel inquiry to the one being conducted by the Kenya Defence Forces.
Mr Mohamud arrived at 11:30am, escorted by Deputy President William Ruto and other leaders including Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago.
Mr Ruto later left the hotel for Eldoret International Airport to receive President Uhuru Kenyatta and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.
Security around the hotel was beefed up, with uniformed and plain clothes officers stationed inside and outside, to boost security teams accompanying the Somali head of State.