This archive report was first published on 1 December 2019.
December 1, 2019, marked a significant moment in Kenya's military campaign in Somalia, as President Uhuru Kenyatta confirmed that Kenyan troops would not be withdrawing from the region anytime soon.
The decision comes as no surprise, given the gravity of the threats posed by Al-Shabaab insurgents, which have led to terrorist incursions and the abduction of Kenyans and foreigners from within Kenyan territory.
While the mission has come at a great cost, President Kenyatta emphasized the importance of completing the task at hand, warning that disengagement would create a vacuum that would favor the enemy.
The African Union's Peace and Security Council created the United Nations-sponsored African Mission in Somalia (Amisom) in 2007, initially with a six-month mandate. However, the mission is likely to stay much longer to help shore up the federal government in Mogadishu.
Kenya's involvement in the mission is significant, given its direct contribution of troops and its shared border with Somalia. The restoration of stability in Somalia would be a major boon for Kenya, which has borne the brunt of the lawlessness in the region for far too long.
