Kenya President, Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday called on Somalia to work with his country on security issue on border between Somalia and Kenya.
Speaking to the media, Kenyatta has expressed concern over the security his country facing.
“We live in Kenya on a very troublesome border with Somalia but yet at the same time, we acknowledge that we cannot wake up one morning and close the border because, these are real people, these are people with human suffering,” said Kenyatta.
The President pointed out that his country hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees who fled from the country to seek refuge following drought and clashes.
He opted that the both countries to collaborate on security challenges rather than border closure.
“We have accommodated many, many hundreds of thousands of refugees despite the fact that one of the serious security challenges come…. We have to recognize the answer to this problem is by working together, not by shutting people out,” he explained.
Kenya had witnessed several deadly attacks carried out by Al-Shabab since 2011 when it sent its troops to Somalia.
Following Westgate and Carissa University attacks in 2013 and 2015 respectively Kenya began to construct 700km security wall along its border with Somalia.
The construction led Somali public outrage following allegations that Kenya’s constructors had encroached into Somalia.
Kenya paused the construction of the wall late last month to ease the tensions at the border after leaders from both Somalia and Kenya agreed to have more discussion about the issue before Kenya resumes the construction.
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