Kenya's defense minister: We are going after Al-Shabaab financiers

Defence CS Aden Duale taking over office at Ministry of Defence Headquarters in Nairobi on Monday, October 31,2022. Image: Enos Teche

NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenya's Defence Minister Aden Duale says the government will now target individuals financing Al-Shabaab militants, noting that the group, which has heightened activities in the country, will be defeated by multi-agency security teams working around the clock to make the East Africa nation safe.

At Isiolo on Saturday, Duale insisted that the security teams are working hard to defeat the militants along the common border with Somalia, adding that the Special Forces along with intelligence teams are also targeting financiers. The teams have increased surveillance in the region.

“We will deal with terror cells and financiers within and outside our country,” he said.

According to him, a secure Kenya will pave the way for accelerated economic growth both internally and externally. He asked Kenyans to also volunteer to share information with members of security forces on Al-Shabaab activities within Kenyan soil.

“We do not tell the people how many security incidents we thwart every hour, every day in our country. We have put everything in place, our forces, every resource and we will not stop at anything to make sure our country is safe and secure from terrorists,” he said.

He said US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin promised to support the war against terror in the country and the region during his recent tour of the country.

“He was here for two days. We share intelligence, we work together in the country, in the region and horn of Africa to deal decisively with terror infrastructure,” Duale added.

Duale further assured Kenyans that there would be no extra judicial killing. In February, the government announced the deployment of the military in six bandit-prone counties where attacks have been witnessed in recent days to avert further loss of lives.

Kenya has deployed Special Forces to Lamu, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties where the Al-Shabaab militants have been causing havoc. Duale's remarks could evoke sharp political reactions given that when he served as Majority Leader, he promised to name Al-Shabaab financiers, a pledge he has never honoured to date.

GAROWE ONLINE