COAST PROVINCE PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER ADVOCATES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NAIROBI 000401 SIPDIS STATE FOR ATA WENDY DOUGHERTY, AF/E, S/CT CCJ5-SC FOR USCG SECURITY ASSISTANCE OFFICER CARTER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PGOV EWWT ASEC KE SUBJECT: COAST PROVINCE PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER ADVOCATES INTERAGENCY CT COORDINATION, PLANNING AND OPERATIONS TO EMBASSY OFFICIALS AND ATA ASSESSMENT TEAM REF: 05 NAIROBI 1590 ¶1. (C) Summary: Kenya's coastline and ports present critical vulnerabilities to terrorist infiltration and attack, as well as smuggling of goods and persons. December 13-16, an Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) Assessment Team and Embassy officials met senior provincial-level representatives from 11 Kenyan agencies in Mombasa and Lamu to brief them on the status of ATA's two coastal security initiatives, urge intensified interagency counter-terrorism (CT) cooperation, assess coastal and port security, and make contacts on implementation issues for the International Ship and Port Facilities Security (ISPS) Program. Coast Province Provincial Commissioner Cyrus Maina called for improved GOK outreach to sensitize the local communities to the threat terrorism poses to them, and warned his inter-agency Antiterrorism Committee of the urgent need to institutionalize and improve interagency CT cooperation, coordination and planning. At follow up meetings, members of individual agencies that had attended the Provincial Commissioner's meeting indicated that the Commissioner's meeting was unprecedented, welcomed the initiative, and supported the ATA concept of training personnel from multiple agencies for participation in joint coastal and port security boat patrols. The District Commissioner in Lamu also convened his interagency Security Committee, and appeared to support interagency cooperation and operations. Embassy will continue to foster and reinforce interagency CT cooperation in Coast Province through operational and executive-level training, high-level engagement, and participation in future meetings of the Committee in Mombasa. End Summary. Provincial Commissioner Maina and Antiterrorism Committee -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) On December 13, Coast Province Provincial Commissioner (PC) Cyrus Maina convened a meeting of his interagency Security Committee to discuss CT issues and hear a briefing from ATA Assessment Team and Embassy officials on the status of ATA's proposed CT assistance projects. The meeting included agencies not previously integrated into the strategic security planning meetings, indicating Maina's understanding of the need to broaden and intensify Provincial CT efforts. ¶3. (C) PC Maina welcomed ATA's proposals to provide boats for port and coastal patrols with interagency crews (aka "joint patrols"). Maina warned his committee that terrorism was a threat to Coast Province, and not just an American problem. He noted that 70% of the Coast Province population lives in poverty, and that Kenya needed to reduce poverty, unemployment and exclusion in the Province, and to improve infrastructure to make the populace less susceptible to terrorism. Maina explained that communities also need to be sensitized to terrorism's physical, emotional and economic impact on the local economy and people. He said an intensive, continuous education campaign including posters, magazine and newspapers articles, and radio programs was needed to sensitize people, and increase their awareness of the threat and the importance of working with government agencies to combat it. He stressed the importance of reaching out to and assisting local fishermen, since they see and hear everything along the coast. It was agreed that awareness training should be brought to the communities by the Kenyans to be effective. Prior to the meeting, Maina had also reiterated to an ATA official his opinion that Embassy assistance should not be directed specifically towards Muslims as it caused suspicion among the Muslim population. He suggested offering assistance based on financial need, such as to fishermen who represent all religions. ¶4. (C) Maina called for all agencies, including the Kenya Navy, immigration and fisheries, to incorporate CT into their missions, and to react quickly and not make excuses when receiving a CT report. He stated the GOK and the provincial government lacked a legally established means of coordinating agencies for terrorism and coastal security. He admitted they have not developed any response plans to terrorism and requested that ATA provide training on interagency coordination and planning. Maina said his office and his Provincial Security Committee could temporarily serve as an informal CT coordinating mechanism. For the long-term, Maina called for the legal establishment of a permanent, semi-autonomous inter-agency CT body that would know each agency's issues and what resources were available to react to a threat or incident. (Note: No one in the room except the NSIS Regional Coordinator knew of the existence of the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) and its purported mandate to provide interagency coordination. End note.) ¶5. (C) Kenya officials at the PC's security meeting were: -------------- -------------- - Cyrus K. Maina, Provincial Commissioner, Coast Province - National Security Intelligence Service, Regional Coordinator Mr. J. Kobungah. - Kenya National Police, Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) Commandant Boniface Mwaniki. - Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Harbormaster Captain Twalib Khamis. - Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS),Assistant Director Benjamin Kavu. - Provincial Police Officer Simon Gatiba Karanja. - Provincial Criminal Intelligence Officer Robert Onchiri. - Provincial Works Officer Samuel Owala, (road engineer). - Assistant Director of Fisheries Mrs. Mwaka Bababara. - Kenya Revenue Authority, George Muia. - Immigration, Linus L. Muriithi. - Moi International Airport Manager John Mugo. - Administration Police, Provincial Commandant Mr. Luka Chebor. - Provincial Criminal Investigation Division (CID) officer Patrick Obimo. Port of Mombasa KPA Staff -------------- ¶6. (C) At the Port of Mombasa, the ATA Assessment Team and Embassy officials met with Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) security officers, police, CID and NSIS to discuss Port security issues and the feasibility of rehabilitating some police boats. The officials indicated that KPA and other agencies cannot rely on the Navy for port security or coastal patrols. They stressed the need for Kenya to establish a properly equipped coast guard under the direction of the recently created Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) to patrol the coast, particularly in the Manda and Shimoni areas. They stressed that a Coast Guard would have to generate most of its own budget through fees. They explained that under an interagency agreement, the Kenya Police Service (KPS) provides the personnel for the 30-man Maritime Police Unit in the Port, and the KPA is supposed to provide all the equipment and training. KPA has provided a boat for harbor patrol, but no training in boarding, navigation and maintenance, nor any gear. ¶7. (C) ATA officials advised that a USCG engineer is needed to inspect the non-operational patrol boats and determine if rehabilitation was worthwhile. ATA cited their concerns about the need to ensure: long-term maintenance for any rehabilitated boats; using them mainly for harbor security and port approaches; and, keeping training course graduates in their assignment for three years. ¶8. (C) To assist the Embassy in determining a mission and operations plan at both Lamu and Mombasa for any boats ATA provides or rehabilitates, KPA agreed to provide a soft copy of the World Bank-funded ISPS implementation report to the ATA Assessment Team. This report was conducted over a period of 4 months, covering both the Port of Mombasa and Lamu. KPA claimed the World Bank has agreed to fund a large part of the actions required to become compliant with ISPS. As of January 23, KPA has not provided a copy of the report. Other Agencies in Mombasa -------------- ¶9. (C) At follow up meetings with agencies that attended the Provincial Commissioner's meeting, it was indicated that the meeting was unprecedented. They welcomed the initiative, and supported the ATA concept of training personnel from multiple agencies for participation in coastal and port security boat patrols. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) noted that Tanzania has successfully implemented joint patrols. Smugglers use the many unregistered/illegal jetties along the coast, the most problematic areas being Shimoni, Kiunga and the old port of Mombasa. Fisheries saw a potential CT role at the local level for the Beach Management Committees it was trying to organize, but fishing villages need electricity, roads and refrigerated storage facilities to raise their standard of living. Fisheries just bought four patrol boats, but the official stressed the need to work out payment of operating expenses for joint patrols. Police agencies stressed their need for CT training and vehicles to respond to reports and reach remote areas. Police also raised the issue that Muslims feel they are being targeted by the police, making cooperation between the police and community more problematic. ISPS Code Implementation -------------- ¶10. (C) KPA leadership understands the importance of the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facilities Security (ISPS) Code and was relatively forthcoming in meetings with the ATA Assessment Team. GOK agencies and the KPA are still struggling to secure the Port of Mombasa from theft and to establish effective access control. KPA has engaged the international community by having the World Bank fund a port vulnerability assessment to identify the deficiencies and suggest measures to rectify them. KPA stated the World Bank recently agreed to provide $11 million to fund the security measures. KPA also sees the need for more engagement with local law enforcement and government agencies to address the Port's vulnerabilities. The Coast Guard ISPS Liaison Office will study the vulnerability assessment and recommendations once received from KPA and work with the Embassy to monitor the Port's progress towards full ISPS implementation. Lamu Meetings and Project Implementation -------------- ¶11. (C) The ATA Assessment Team visited Lamu to meet Port and District officials to discuss port and coastal security and ATA's project to provide four boats for local patrols. The KPA Jetty Superintendent chairs a Port Security Committee, which includes the Navy, Police, NSIS, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS),Administration Police (AP),and Immigration. The Kenya Police Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU),however, does not participate. Very few cargo ships call at Lamu, and security is focused on protecting the visiting tourist cruise ships. District Commissioner Olaka convened his Security Committee, which included all the Port Committee agencies, plus ATPU. DC Olaka raised concerns about the number of U.S. agencies that had visited him regarding coastal security issues and the lack of progress resulting from these meetings. Once ATA differentiated between the KUSLO project to provide six boats to the Kenyan Navy for off-shore patrols from the ATA project to provide four boats for coastal patrols, Olaka became less belligerent, and more agreeable to joint patrols. KPA and the law enforcement agencies in Lamu appear to have a cooperative relationship that should facilitate joint patrols on their existing boats, and future delivered boats. Manda Bay -------------- ¶12. (C) The ATA Assessment Team visited the Naval Special Warfare Task Unit (NSWTU) at Manda Bay on Dec. 16 to discuss how the joint coastal patrols should be formed and operated using the boats provided by ATA. NSWTU officials stated that the two most important factors in making a success of the joint patrols are (1) selecting the right persons and advisor for the mission and (2) managing the political situation effectively. NSWTU officials provided a detailed concept for organizing, training and operating such patrols. ¶13. (C) Comment: If Provincial Commissioner Maina sustains his interest in interagency CT cooperation, coordination, and planning, his Provincial Committee could demonstrate to the Government of Kenya the importance and value of an interagency mechanism similar to the American concept of a joint task force. Working through the powerful and influential Provincial Commissioner's office may achieve better results than previous efforts engaged at the individual agency level in Mombasa, and Lamu. However, Maina's enthusiasm cannot be taken at face value. At an April 2005 meeting with the Ambassador (reftel),Maina told the press that there is no longer a terrorist problem in the Coast, that Muslims in Mombasa no longer feel targeted, and that the GOK had addressed the Muslim community's needs. (Maina is a Christian and ethnic Kikuyu.) ¶14. (C) Embassy and ATA assets can support and sustain the initiative by: including officers from all willing and appropriate agencies in maritime interdiction operations training courses for use in existing assets or the patrol boats we provide; high-level visits to Mombasa to meet with Maina and the Committee; and, provision of visiting subject matter experts to make presentations to the Committee on matters of mutual interest. CentCom USCG will ask the Coast Guard International Training Division to identify and exploit ASAP opportunities for training appropriate GOK agencies in maritime law enforcement to enhance Kenya's control over its sovereign territorial seas. Bellamy