Kenya: KDF Soldiers 'Will Fight On Until There Is Peace in Somalia'
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday led his Nigerian and
Somali counterparts in paying tribute to KDF soldiers who were
killed in Somalia during a memorial service attended by friends
and relatives of the fallen heroes.
The President said Kenyan troops would not withdraw from
their peace-keeping mission in Somalia any time soon despite the
recent attack at a Kenya Defence Forces' camp in El-Adde
which left tens of soldiers dead.
Speaking at an inter-denominational service at Eldoret's Moi
Barracks in honour of the fallen soldiers and survivors, the
President - who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed
Forces - vowed that the fallen soldiers' blood would not be
shed in vain.
"We will make sure every single one of those cowards who
murdered them will be hunted down and brought to justice, for
our soldiers' blood will not be shed in vain," President Kenyatta
said during the solemn service also attended by Presidents
Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of
Somalia and Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto, Cabinet
secretaries and the military top brass, led by the Chief of
Defence Forces, Gen Samson Mwathethe.
Moi Barracks is the home of the ninth Kenya Rifles, where
most of the soldiers killed in the attack came from. The others
were from the Gilgil barracks.
'FAILED COURAGE'
President Kenyatta described calls for Kenyan troops to
withdraw from Somalia as "failed courage" and vowed to
soldier on in the peace-keeping mission with the African Union
Mission in Somalia (Amisom).
"With our other allies in Amisom, we will continue in Somalia to
fulfil our mission.
"Some whose courage has failed them want us to give up the
mission now. They want us to retreat, to leave the field to the
enemy in the hope that the enemy will leave us alone. They
have forgotten one thing, and that is the enemy has made it
clear that he will not leave us alone and that he will follow us
home. And they have forgotten that as good neighbours, we
cannot leave the people of Somalia also to the tender mercies
or murderous terrorists," said Mr Kenyatta.
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