This archive report was first published on 7 October 2019.
Published on October 7, 2019, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has faulted the United States government over its alleged failure to control humanitarian aid to Somalia, saying some of the relief assistance is ending up in the hands of militants.
Muturi made the remarks during the opening of a parliamentary security and intelligence forum, where he also criticized the United Nations Security Council for failing to list Al-Shabaab as a terrorist organization under Security Council Resolution 1267.
According to Muturi, this failure has compromised the ongoing fight against terrorism in the region.
However, US Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter defended his government's stance, saying it remains committed to supporting Kenya in the war on terror.
McCarter acknowledged that some humanitarian aid sent to Somalia might be finding its way to supporting members of the Al-Shabaab terror group, but he insisted that there was no evidence to support sanctions.
The US government maintains that it has classified Al-Shabaab as a terror group under UN Security Council Resolution 751 and is committed to fighting the vice.
The two-day parliamentary security and intelligence forum aims to share knowledge, build networks, and exchange best practices on how to improve existing legislation on national security.
