There is no question that Kenya and Somalia are two countries that are deeply linked economically, socially and culturally.
Both countries would stand to benefit immensely from enduring peace and stability in Somalia due to the long-standing ties between the two countries which stretch back hundreds of years.
Yet all is not well at present in Somalia. A number of forces, both from Somalia and outside the region, are working very hard to sow chaos there and prolong the suffering of the people of Somalia and the region.
Kenyan authorities can play a role in curtailing these players who are destabilising Somalia simply by ousting them and denying them the right to operate from Nairobi, because a significant number of them are based in the Kenyan capital.
In February 2017, there was great hope that the election of Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo as president – a rare case in Somalia elections where the man who was popular with Somalis across the region prevailed over the choice of shadowy power brokers – would be a turning point for Somalia. There were celebrations across East Africa following the election.
WEALTHY POLITICIANS
However, there are forces including many wealthy Somali politicians and businessmen – a good number based in Nairobi – who benefit from war and chaos in Somalia and are not interested in the pursuit of a lasting peace.
These shadowy figures are suspected to be funding al- Shabaab attacks on Somali soil and credible investigations have linked them to the financing of bombings not just in Somalia but also in Kenya.
Matters have been worsened by the dispute between Gulf nations whose impact is being felt in many regions, none more so than in the Horn of Africa. That conflict has seen powerful Gulf countries emerge to actively encourage divisions in Somalia which have been a gift to the al- Shabaab at a time when many were turning against the group.
In June, the young and erratic Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman and his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) suddenly announced a blockade of their rival Gulf power Qatar.
They demanded that all countries with a large Muslim population should follow their lead. Many were forced by the fact that they rely on millions of dollars in aid from the oil-rich Gulf countries to do so. However, to their great credit, the leadership in Somalia decided to take a neutral posture and refused to take sides between the UAE and Qatar.
WAR
That decision – despite tens of millions of dollars being offered to sway the leadership in Mogadishu – has inflamed the Gulf countries and unleashed a full-blown war to try and bring down the government in Somalia. The activities being undertaken to achieve this should alarm all members of the international community including the African Union, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, major embassies including the Americans and the European Union and other players that have a major stake in peace in Somalia including Kenya.
