US embassy cable - 05NAIROBI4331

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 004331 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2015 
TAGS: PREL, ASEC, PTER, KE, SO 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR PRESSES KENYAN MFA ON SECURITY AND 
TERRORISM 
 
REF: NAIROBI 4203 
 
Classified By: Pol/C Michael J. Fitzpatrick; Reasons: 1.4(B&D). 
 
1. (S) SUMMARY:  Ambassador stressed continuing U.S. security 
concerns and urged the Kenyan government to focus on 
combating terrorism during his October 7 meeting with Foreign 
Ministry's Permanent Secretary. PS Mbaya emphasized Kenya's 
concerns re Somalia as a source of threats and pledged the 
Kenyan government would continue its CT efforts despite 
domestic attention being centered on the debate over a 
proposed new constitution.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (S)  Ambassador called on Foreign Ministry Permanent 
Secretary Boaz Mbaya October 7.  The new head of the Americas 
 
SIPDIS 
Desk, Ambassador M.K. M'Ithiri plus staffers from the 
Americas Desk and Legal Affairs, accompanied Mbaya. PolCouns 
(notetaker) accompanied the Ambassador. (NOTE: Discussion of 
the draft UN Convention on Diversity of Cultural Expressions 
was reported septel.) 
 
3. (S)  The Ambassador reviewed for Mbaya his recent 
discussions with Security Minister Michuki (reftel), and hit 
the same themes again:  The U.S. is concerned that threat 
levels in the region are trending upwards.  There are 
increased signs of terrorist surveillance and planning in 
Kenya.  There is a growing jihadist threat in Somalia, a 
menace that can quickly and easily deploy to Kenya.  At least 
one of those Kenyan citizens freed by the courts in June has 
begun renewed plotting against U.S. interests in Kenya. 
Partly as a result of these developments, the USG quietly 
canceled the planned visit of the USS Gonzalez to Mombasa and 
advised the "Semester at Sea" program against visiting in 
October.  He outlined continuing Kenyan government 
shortcomings that inhibit joint ability to protect ourselves: 
lack of A Joint Terrorism Task Force, lack of CT legislation, 
and legal inability to even charge plotters if the government 
decided to detain them.  Mbaya provided a strong pledge for 
increased government attention to the issues, even as 
"referendum fever" is dominating governmental discussions 
before the November 21 vote on a new national constitution. 
 
4. (S) SOMALIA: Mbaya focused on Somalia as the source of 
threats to regional stability.  Mbaya stressed that Somali 
President Yusuf had "squashed" extremist groups when he had 
been President of the Somali Puntland,.  He predicted Yusuf 
would do the same now "if there were a more proactive role" 
throughout Somalia, and specifically in support of Yusuf at 
the expense of Mogadishu-based factions of the Transitional 
Federal Institutions.  Mbaya noted Kenya was pleased with the 
role being played by UN SRSG Fall.  He noted that the Kenyan 
government is planning to soon move against the corruption at 
Wilson Airport, saying the government is concerned about 
illegal flights and passengers transiting Wilson, as well as 
money flows in support of the khat ("miraa") traffic. All 
flight clearances to/from Somalia must be approved in 
advance. 
 
5. (S)  The Kenyan government is currently drafting a "Plan 
of Action" to support the TFIs to re-establish centralized 
law and order.  He sought funding and political support for 
this initiative.  Kenya envisions training 5000 Somali police 
in general security and 200 more to specialize in government 
institution and VIP protection.  Among the issues still to be 
addressed: Who feeds the troops? Who collects the guns turned 
in from warlords' militias?  What guarantees are provided to 
(and by) local communities who cooperate?  Mbaya asserted the 
UN arms embargo was never intended to limit the ability of a 
new government to establish itself in Somalia.  But he 
concluded, Kenya supports the deployment of an outside force 
in support of the TFG, not the outright lifting of the arms 
embargo. He encouraged USG support for the Transitional 
Federal Government as "the only game in town."  The 
Ambassador noted a USG Somali policy review was underway and 
stressed our continuing support for all the institutions of 
the transitional authorities. 
 
6. (C) REFERENDUM:  The Ambassador expressed concern that 
government ministers were publicly accusing foreign envoys of 
financially supporting the "NO" camp in the run-up to 
November's referendum on a proposed new constitution.  The 
charge is false -- and damaging to good relations.  Mbaya 
agreed, while adding that such charges are not the 
government's official position, only the personal "political" 
views of individual ministers.  He said the perception was 
based in the envoys' having publicly criticized government 
use of funds for the YES campaign. 
 
7. (u)  AUGUST 7 MEMORIAL PARK:  The Ambassador also raised 
the issue of Kenyan protesters having taken over the site of 
the former U.S. Embassy, the August 7th Memorial Park (NB: 
the protesters are seeking compensation for injuries 
sustained in the 1998 al Qaeda attack; septel).  He 
encouraged the Foreign Ministry to accept an invitation to 
appoint a member to the Board that manages the park.  Mbaya 
encouraged the Board to send him a formal letter of request, 
which he said the MFA would look upon favorably. 
BELLAMY