Security in Kenya: The Effects of the Somali Conflict on National Security

The research begins by assessing the security situation in Kenya. It then attempts to look at the most probable contributing factor to the rising armed crime. Majority of the armed crimes committed in the country are attributed to Small and Light Weapons that are believed to come into the country through our porous borders. The paper then assesses Kenya’s key neighbors with particular interest in Somalia. Somalia has not had a stable government since the fall of Siad Barre in 1991. From then the conflict in Somalia has deepened and continues to become more complicated. More actors have come into the field and internal wrangles within the original Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Islamic Courts Union have continued to change the political arena. External actors have also played a role in escalating the differences within the Somali government and what has now grown from the TFG to Alshabaab. Most of those affected by the conflict have been, women and children. This can be seen by the large number of Somali’s crossing the Kenya Somali border trying to seek refuge in the different refugee camps like Daadaab, Kakuma, Liboi and Ifo Camp. Many of these refugee camps have been set up to try and cater for the ever-growing crowd of Somali refugees crossing over into Kenya. In order to keep themselves safe, many of the refugees, come bearing weapons of all sorts. Most being Small and light weapons that they can easily carry with them as they flee. When they get to Kenya, many of the refugees have no direct use for the weapons so they either throw them away or sell them to brokers who give them, food or money to get to the refugee camps. These are the same weapons that find their way in the wrong hands after the brokers sell them to small arms dealers and smuggling rackets and within no time, they are in the city, either being hired out or sold to criminals. This has in turn has had a detrimental effect on the security in most urban areas especially Nairobi. Criminals have resorted to using sophisticated small arms to help them commit their crimes. They use these weapons to instill fear and defend themselves from the police or anyone in their way.