Saturday, August 10, 2013
Kenya has opposed calls for its defence forces to cede control of Kismayu port and airport to the Somali government.
It has instead proposed that control of the two
installations be negotiated between the federal government and
leadership of the federal member states in line with the Somali
constitution.
Defence Principal Secretary Monicah Juma and her
Foreign Affairs counterpart Karanja Kibicho told a news conference that this would avert a sense of discrimination and lack of
equity in the regions.
The two officials warned that attempts to
circumvent this requirement would undermine the fragile peace, leading
to “serious deterioration of the security situation.”
The government officials said the decision had
elicited “disturbing reactions and heightened tension within and outside
Somalia.”
The matter was brought up on Sunday by leaders of
countries contributing troops to the African Union Mission in Somali at a
meeting in Uganda.
In a communiqué, the regional leaders resolved to
end the long running dispute over control of the two facilities by
handing over their control to the Somali federal government.
The resolution followed a long-running dispute over the facilities between the Somalia government and Kenya Defence Forces.
The handover is meant to appease Mogadishu, which
says charcoal exports through Kismayu have been benefiting the militias
fighting it.