Military dismisses UN team’s report
PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI | FILE Traders sell charcoal in Kismayu in May. The Kenyan military has dismissed claims by a UN team linking it to the business that funds militia activities in Somalia.
What you need to know:
- KDF denies involvement in illegal charcoal trade that funds Al-Shabaab and its terror networks
The Kenyan military has described as “poorly researched”, a UN monitors’ report claiming that its personnel in Kismayu facilitated illegal charcoal exports— generating millions of dollars for Islamic militants.
Kenya Defence Forces Spokesman Bogita Ongeri on Sunday said the charcoal business “is not within our jurisdiction” and that the UN researchers should have done a better job getting the facts.
Details of the still confidential document by the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea were reported by the Reuters news agency.
Mr Ongeri said one of the aims of KDF going for the port city was to cut off funding for Al-Shabaab, which used the proceeds from charcoal to finance its activities.
“Our job is about the security and stability of Somalia and actually our soldiers have done a very good job because there is stability under our troops,” said Mr Ongeri.
“Such reports should be well researched and objective. That is local politics that the KDF would not want to engage in. Our target was the charcoal business, which we stopped and curtailed the operations of Al-Shabaab.”
The report was completed before recent clashes in Kismayu between forces loyal to Sheikh Ahmed Madobe, leader of the Ras Kamboni militia and Jubaland president, and other warlords who have laid claim to the presidency.
Kismayu is a lucrative prize for clan leaders, bringing with it generous revenues from charcoal exports, port taxes and levies on arms and other illegal imports.
The Security Council banned the export of charcoal from Somalia in February last year in an attempt to cut off one of Al-Shabaab’s main sources of cash.
The Kenyan military and allied local militia took over the port city in September last year after the militants fled ahead of the advancing troops.
Kenya made unilateral decision to send its forces into southern Somalia to contain the threat of the Islamist militia that boasts ties to Al-Qaeda terrorist network.
The Kenyan initiative was eventually absorbed into the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) peacekeeping mission, which enjoys the mandate of the UN Security Council. Speaking to the Nation on Sunday, an aide of Mr Madobe dismissed the UN Monitoring Group report as propaganda designed to soil the image of the Kenyan military.
