AMBASSADOR PRESSES KENYAN MFA ON SECURITY AND

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