Wajir North Member of Parliament (MP) Ibrahim Abdi Saney on Monday, June 26, claimed that the United States was partly to blame for the recent rise of terrorist attacks in Kenya.
Speaking during an interview with K24, Saney faulted the US for not listing Al Shabaab as a terror group a day after the group was suspected to have killed five people in Salama Village in Lamu County.
He further warned the President William Ruto-led government to tread carefully while dealing with Somalia arguing that the war-torn nation was a major trade partner.
“In as much as we blame our government, why is the US not profiling the Al Shabaab as a terrorist organisation? We have seen them repeatedly fail to do so,” he stated.
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) elected MP made the remarks a day after suspected terrorists raided a village in Lamu County killing five people and razing several houses to the ground.
Saney explained that with the help of the US, Kenya stood a chance to obliterate the terrorist group that has afflicted the country for decades.
The MP further argued that Kenya had demonstrated that it possessed the power and will to fight the extremists and only needed support from global powers.
He reiterated that the decision by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to reopen the Kenya-Somalia border was timely.
“I believe opening up those borders was a good decision and Kenyan locals near the border have taken up the challenge,” he stated.
In particular, he noted that residents from his constituency were committed to playing their part in making sure Al Shabaab did not use the open border to infiltrate Kenya.
“We need to be patient to tap benefits from Somalia because the country has potential that is untapped,” he added.
His remarks came two days after President William Ruto, who doubles up as the leader of the ruling UDA party, insisted that opening the Somalia border was a smart move.
In an earlier interview with Kenyans.co.ke, George Musamali - a security expert - however argued that politicians should stop clinging to the US for support.
He explained that while Washington can provide logistical support, Kenya should develop ways of collecting its own security intel.
"Do we expect the US to have boots on the ground to help us fight? The best we can ask is for drones and other sophisticated weapons to fight and dismantle terror cells," he remarked.
