Earlier on in the Week, Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni deported MTN CEO in what was said to be security reasons. However, Kenya has decided to take a different route. Could it be on Security reasons as well?
A row over a maritime territorial area in the Indian Ocean between Kenya and Somalia has escalated after Nairobi decided to cut diplomatic relations with Mogadishu over a claim that the latter had auctioned oil blocks located in a disputed border area.
#BREAKING: Kenya recalls its ambassador to Somalia, Lieutenant General Lucas Tumbo back to Nairobi; orders Somalia’s ambassador back to his country. GoK says Somalia auctioned oil and gas blocks in its territory and says it is ready to defend territorial integrity at all costs. pic.twitter.com/hVfvs0eIdL
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) February 16, 2019
Last evening, Nairobi announced that it was recalling its ambassador in Mogadishu, Lt Gen (Rtd) Lucas Tumbo, stating that Somalia’s decision to auction an oil block in London last week amounted to aggression against Kenyans and their resources.Consequently, Nairobi sent away the Somali Ambassador to Kenya Mohamed Nur and escalated an ongoing case at The Hague into a political battle between Nairobi and Mogadishu.
“This outrageous and provocative auction deserves and will be met by a unanimous and resounding rejection by all Kenyans, as well as people of goodwill who believe in the maintenance of international law and order, and the peaceful and legal resolution of disputes,” Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau said in a tough statement.
Kenya has also instructed the Ambassador of Somalia to Kenya Mohammed Muhamud Nur to depart to Somalia for consultation. pic.twitter.com/3mlTO8RPRU
— ForeignAffairsKenya (@ForeignOfficeKE) February 16, 2019
“By carelessly ignoring the internationally-acceptable norms of boundary dispute resolution and or political and diplomatic disagreements, the government of Somalia has demonstrated that it has yet to attain and embrace political maturity and diplomatic stance of a normal, well-adjusted and properly functioning modern state,” the Principal Secretary said.
At the centre of the dispute is a narrow triangle on the Indian Ocean measuring 62,000 square miles. It is not yet clear to which country it belongs, but it is believed to hold large deposits of oil and gas.
Kenya insists the boundary runs parallel to the line of latitude and had already sold mining licenses to exploration companies in the area before the dispute blew up.