The Kenya defence forces has finally put onto paper exit strategy or a road map plan to exit Somalia after a long 8 years of battling militants in that region. Other countries who formed Amison along Kenya are expected to exit Somalia in December 2021.
~ The compact and intelligence plan is contained in a new book titled War for Peace: Kenya’s Military in the African Mission in Somalia, 2011-2020 a book that was launched on Friday by immediate former Chief of Defence Forces Samson Mwathethe.
~ The first and prominent pillar is to create conditions for the exit of Amisom from Somalia. This plan will involve reforms in the Somali National Army and enabling the country’s security forces to lead operations towards sustainable peace.
~ The second is creating a stable, peaceful and prosperous Jubbaland as a corridor free of al-Shabaab.
This will involve securing routes in Jubbaland accessible to and used by al-Shabaab, including areas in Jilib, the roads to Kenyan border points (Liboi, El-Wak, Mandera, Gherille and Boni forest) and Indian Ocean ports of Ras Kamboni, Kuday, Kismayu and Barawe,” the book says.
~ That will also be achieved by creating harmony between the people of Jubbaland and the rest of Somalia by consolidating federalism and maintaining peace with Mogadishu and neighbouring countries. The third, fourth and 5th are contained in the book that was edited by Prof Peter Kagwanja, Brig Stephen Mutuku James, Col Paul Njuguna, Col Njoroge Gitogo, Col Ahmed Saman, Lt Col Charles Imbiakha, Lt Col David Kwach and Lt Col Daniel Muguro.
~ “The book is a tribute to our soldiers who fought and paid the ultimate price. It is an invaluable read for students, experts and practitioners of military history and strategy,” Gen Mwathethe says in the book.
