KDF Chief: Maritime border row will not raise tensions between Kenya and Somalia

NAIROBI, Kenya - The recent judgment by the International Court of Justice [ICJ] on the controversial maritime border row between Kenya and Somalia will not affect the relationship between the two nations, Kenya's top general has said.

General Robert Kibochi, who is the Chief of the Defense Forces said the matter will not affect relationships and operations across the border, adding that the physical boundary disputes can always be solved without reprisals.

In an interview with Citizen TV, General Kibochi, who was promoted to the rank in 2020, noted that there is a need for Somalis and Kenyans to love harmoniously given the fact that the two nations are neighbors.

"I don't think it should. Remember, Somalia and Kenya are going to be neighbors because we never choose who will be where. There is a need for us to be able to agree to live harmoniously," he said.

This is the first interview featuring a Kenya Defense Forces [KDF] general ever since the court made the ruling on October 12. President Uhuru Kenyatta, who also doubles as the Commander-in-Chief of armed forces, said Kenya will not cede even an inch of the disputed area.

According to Kibochi, it will be difficult to interfere with correlations between the two countries just because of border disputes. He said, for instance, many Somalis benefit from Kenya's education and medical system, a fact that cannot be trampled upon.

"Those people living in Mandera and maybe Kiunga are the same people across the border. You can't limit the number of students who go to school across Somalia and Kenya in Mandera. We cannot afford not to allow them to come to Kenya. That relationship will always continue," he said.

However, Kibochi reiterated President Uhuru Kenyatta's position that no inch will be ceded while faulting the ICJ for the ruling. He noted that the court does not have the capacity to change boundaries that have existed for decades.

"But these issues must be addressed. There is no way you can have a border that has been existing got years but someone wakes up and says it doesn't exist," added the KDF general, who is set to retire once the transition is completed in 2022.

On Al-Shabaab, General Kibochi noted that the group is still a threat to the people of East Africa, noting that: " Al-Shabaab is a faceless enemy and therefore it is our responsibility to be on the lookout. This war has to be fought by all of us."

ICJ issued a ruling that seemingly favored Mogadishu, after several years of court battles. The ruling was hailed in Somalia but Nairobi still insists that the International Court of Justice does not have jurisdiction to handle the matter.

GAROWE ONLINE