Kenya bans Somali warlords

Kenya has banned Somali warlords from coming into the country.

The Government announced that it had imposed a total ban on the warlords and their associates from Kenya.

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released last night said: “The Government of Kenya has with immediate effect imposed a total ban on all forms of travel into Kenya by Somali warlords and their associates.”

The Government said it would not allow its soil to be used by individuals who were destabilising their country.

“The Government would like to re-iterate its position that it will not let its territory to be used by those who persist in destabilising Somalia and undermining our ongoing efforts to restore peace and security in that country,” the statement added.

Sources disclosed that the decision was reached after discussions between the Office of the President, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry in charge of Internal Security and Provincial Administration. 

Assistant ministers Moses Wetang’ula and Danson Mungatana said the country had invested a lot in the provisional government stationed in Baidoa and would not like it to be undermined.

Foreign Affairs assistant minister Moses Wetang’ula said the Government wanted to address some security issues in Somalia by imposing the ban.

He added: “The provisional government in Somali is our baby, we have spent money, time and other resources in it. We cannot have a few warlords spoiling that.”

“From today on they are persona non grata (prohibited immigrants) in this country…if they are found they will face the consequences,” he added.

President Kibaki, Mr Wetang’ula added, being the current chairman the IGAD Summit wanted to ensure that Somalia and other countries in the region were peaceful.

The country hosted Somali peace talks for more than two years, incurring a lot of expenses, the assistant minister said. But Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti were committed to seeing peace is restored in Somalia, he added.

“We cannot as a country or region allow warlords in whatever form to undermine governments we have helped form,” Mr Wetang’ula added. “We want warlords who are ministers in the transitional government to make peace.”

The Government, he added, had taken the extra step to stop them because it did not want to continue hosting people conducting secret activities.

A non-aligned movement meeting in Malaysia resolved that the UN Security Council lift an arms embargo on transitional Government to enable it to start putting in place structures to govern the country.

The Government initiated peace talks among the warlords which led to the formation of a provisional Government.

A Parliament was opened in Baidoa in February after electing President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Ali Mohamed Gedi as Prime Minister.

The Cabinet was named in August 2004 at United Nations headquarters in Nairobi in 2004.

Civil war

Somalia has been embroiled in civil war between different warlords since former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted in 1991.

Most of the warlords have set up base in Kenya where they have enjoyed the luxury of five star hotels while their country was being ran into ruins.

Somali militia are embroiled in bloody battle for control of Mogadishu.

On Monday, the transitional government sacked four warlords for their involvement in violence that has left 350 people dead since February