Mogadishu ( UM) – The decision to send all flights from Mogadishu to Nairobi via Wajir proves that Kenya has become a nasty bully taking advantage of a weak Somali Federal Government whom it wants to grant parts of its lucrative maritime assets because its legal case is so weak. Somalia has been humiliated enough and the fake security reason Kenyan Civil Aviation have provided cannot be accepted. Somalia’s national airport is secure enough to accommodate international flights going to other more prestigious destinations than Kenya like Istanbul, Dubai and Addis Ababa. So where is this singular security risk to Kenya coming from?
The Kenyan government speaks of brotherly relations with Somalia but its words and actions have been nothing of the sort. Kenya appears to be seeking to pressurise Somalia through humiliation and degrading treatment like the Wajir stop-over but neither this nor any other act will hurt the Somali people as much as the Kenyan authorities think.
The Somali Federal Government must immediately stop the import of the disgusting and dangerous drug Khat from Kenya. While planes from Somalia carry economic opportunity, planes from Kenya carry a killer narcotic which feeds many Kenyan families while killing Somalis. This must stop. Khat is a family breaker, killer and scientifically proven narcotic. Ban it to save Somalis and cripple Kenyan miraa farmers.
The International community and their operations must accelerate their total transfer to Mogadishu in line with the order from the Ministry of Planning. Somalis can no longer suffer the humiliation of Wajir stop-over and visa begging to enter Kenya. Those organisations working on Somali projects employ many well paid Kenyans over Somali professionals and it is unacceptable that donor money for Somalia be spent on lavish living in Nairobi when Kenya is treating Somalia so badly. International organisations that refuse to comply should be banned from working in Somalia. The Somali people’s dignity is worth much more than any project.
All Somali leaders and civil servants must boycott all meetings in Nairobi or Kenya until the Wajir stop-over is abolished. No more meetings in Kenya for Somalia! It is a disgrace for Somalis hand luggage to be smelt by dogs before they enter a badly built structure of an airport in the middle of nowhere. If this is an economic project for Wajir by the Kenyan government, Somalis should not be humiliatingly made to foot the bill.
The Somali Government must get its foreign policy priorities in order and deal with Kenyan abuse appropriately. The statement of concern from the Somali federal ministry of Aviation is not enough. A stronger response is needed against a very vindictive neighbour. The Kenyan Ambassador to Somali must be summoned by the Foreign Ministry and made to explain his governments disgracefully politicised decision. If this decision is not reversed immediately, the Somali government should suspend all flights to and from Kenya.
Overall, Kenya’s action must not be allowed to humiliate the proud Somali people, it must hurt their economy instead.