TERRORIST THREAT PROMPTS KENYA TO EXPAND BORDER

UNCLAS NAIROBI 000480 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KE PGOV PREL PTER SO SUBJECT: TERRORIST THREAT PROMPTS KENYA TO EXPAND BORDER PATROL FORCES ¶1. (U) The Kenyan government has announced plans to recruit 4000 additional Administrative Police (AP) officers to boost security along Kenya's porous borders and protect against terrorist threats. Permanent Secretary for Internal Security and Provincial Administration, Francis Kimemia, announced that the AP also plans to procure 96 motor vehicles and an unknown number of helicopters to improve the police's transportation capabilities. The announced increases follow a February 16 statement by Internal Security Minister George Saitoti that the country faces a heightened risk of terrorist attacks. News reports quote police officials as saying they are concerned Somali extremists may plan to launch terrorist attacks in retaliation for Kenya's cooperation with the U.S. in fighting terrorism. Immediately following Minister Saitoti's public statement increased security measures were implemented at Kenya's international airports and major land border crossings. ¶2. (U) AP Commandant Kinuthia Mbugua also stated that the government has already established border control units and has allocated additional funds for their operations and management. Commandant Mbugua announced that the AP intends to deploy additional units to perform surveillance along the borders in order to combat terrorist infiltration, weapons trafficking and illegal immigration. ¶3. (U) Descended from the colonial era tribal police, the AP performs community level policing, largely in rural areas not served by the Kenyan Police Service (KPS). While AP officers are armed and have arrest authority, the KPS is responsible for investigating crimes and prosecuting criminal cases. Other AP duties include protection of Kenyan government VIPs (below the level of the president) and providing security at camps for foreign refugees and internally displaced persons. The AP also supports the Kenyan Revenue Authority (customs) and the immigrations services at land, sea and air ports of entry (POE),providing security and arrest authority to those agencies. Recently the AP has been given the additional task of providing border protection in rural areas away from the major POEs. In these duties the AP cooperates with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) which has jurisdiction over Kenyan national parks and nature reserves, several of which are located along the borders. ¶4. (U) Visiting border security experts have noted that the Kenyan government appears committed to securing its land and maritime borders. The AP and KWS both have well trained, professional personnel and effectively cooperate on border security. Challenges in securing Kenya's borders include: 1) the lack of a comprehensive national border strategy; 2) severe shortages in infrastructure, equipment, technology and mobility assets for border control; 3) the very diverse landscape, in both terrain and culture, along Kenya's borders; 4) cross border terrorism and criminal threats; and 5) the lack of an effective government in Somalia able to work with Kenya to control their common border. While both services operate schools for training officers to patrol the border there is a need for more advanced instruction in operations, tactics and technology. ¶5. (U) Comment: Kenya is a major communications and transportation hub for East and Central Africa. Millions of legitimate border crossings by cargo trucks, tourists, nomadic herders, business travelers and others take place every year, contributing greatly to the economic life of the region. However, terrorists, gun runners, smugglers, human traffickers, illegal immigrants, poachers, cattle rustlers and others also cross Kenya's borders with relative ease. With 3477 kilometers of land boundaries, much of them passing through remote and sparsely populated areas, and a 536 kilometer coastline, Kenya faces a daunting task in seeking to control its borders. RANNEBERGER