For a while, the relationship between Kenya and neighbouring countries has been wanting. In spite of Kenya’s efforts to promote integration and cohesion across the border through trading deals and projects, the efforts have not borne much fruit in achieving good relations across our borders.
Controversial Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria now says enough is enough, and it is time the country makes a move to regain its regional power. In a lengthy proposal, Kuria argues that Kenya has been too lenient with her neighbours to the detriment of her economy.
In a bid to solve the border row, the vocal legislator proposes that Kenya leaves the Dadaab refugee camp burden to Somalia, where the majority are from; by building a refugee camp in Kismayo, build the long-delayed wall and then move the Kenya Defence Forces from the country to protect the borders.
“We continue to host hundreds of thousands of Somalia nationals in Dadaab Refugee Camp, Kenya’s 6th largest unofficial county. All the ruling elites in the ‘weak and near stateless’ Somalia have luxury homes in Kenya and businesses in Eastleigh. Yet, weak and near stateless Somalia has the temerity and audacity to grab 40% of Kenya’s territorial space through their self imposed map of territorial waters, file the case at the International Court of Justice at The Hague and go ahead to start hawking oil exploration blocks in the very disputed waters,”Kuria argued.
This comes just days after The Arab Parliament sent a stern warning to Kenya ordering it to stop interfering with matters to do with the sovereign state of Somalia.
It went on to accuse Kenya of trying to draw an unfounded map in a bid to win over the hotly contested territorial grounds.
“The Arab Parliament calls on Kenya to get its hands off Somali territorial waters, which are an integral part of the Arab waters, and rejects its false attempts to draw up a new, unfounded map while rejecting its threats to interfere in Somalia’s internal affairs,” read a tweet by the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The #Arab Parliament calls on #Kenya to stop its hands on #Somali territorial waters, which are an integral part of the Arab waters, and rejects its false pretensions to draw up a new, unfounded map while rejecting its threats to interfere in #Somalia's internal affairs. pic.twitter.com/sx8TJjRnT7
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇸🇴 (@MofaSomalia) June 20, 2019