By Samuel Ouma
Kenya has announced its intention to mend her diplomatic ties with Somalia, hours after the latter revealed that it had severed its diplomatic relations with her neighbours.
Kenya’s Government spokesperson, Colonel Cyrus Oguna decried the awful diplomatic relations between the two countries, saying their frosty relationship leaves many things at stake.
He disclosed that a committee has been established to inspect the causes of the division. Oguna reiterated that Kenya would explore diplomatic means to resolve the issues behind the rift.
Oguna further revealed that the two countries share common factors such as historical background, economic ties, and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) that is in Somalia to flush out insurgents Al-Shabaab, and it would be regrettable for issues to split them.
“There is a committee that has been put in place to be able to look into the issues that are coming between these two neighbouring countries that have a lot of history between the two of them. Once the issues are addressed then the press will be notified,” he said.
Nonetheless, Oguna noted that the move would only be in line with the diplomatic principle of “scratch my back and i scratch yours.”
“The issues to do with diplomacy and international relations work on the principle of scratch my back I scratch your back, and as a country, you have been kind and accommodative,” he said.
In the wee hours of Tuesday, Somalia announced that it had cut diplomatic ties with Kenya citing internal interference and violation of her territorial integrity.
Announcing in a televised speech, the country’s Minister of Information Osman Abubakar Dubbe recalled Somalia diplomats in Nairobi and ordered their Kenyan counterparts to vacate the land in the next week.
”Somalia wants all its diplomats to go back to Mogadishu, and Kenyan diplomats have seven days to leave the country,” said Osman Dubbe.
According to Oguna, Kenya will not retaliate against Somalia.
“We are a higher nation; we cannot do the same thing Somalia has done. If we do so it will look like revenge hence, we will let the IGAD and Comesa take control of it,” Oguna said.
