Not an inch less nor more, President Uhuru vows to protect Kenya’s territorial integrity
President Uhuru Kenyatta has declared he will not cede even an inch of Kenya’s territory to Somalia.
Kenyatta said that the biggest external threat is posed by Kenya’s neighbour, Somalia, who claim they have a right to 150,000 square kilometres of Kenya’s waters in the Indian Ocean.
“Since the dawn of our Republic, on many occassions we have experienced territorial aggressions to the sanctity of our boarders…but the message of our founding fathers to these aggressors was simple: “Not an inch less, not an inch more.’ And this is the message that must be reverbarate across the collective quarters that are bent on annexing any part of the territory known as the republic of Kenya,” he said.
Speaking at Wang’uru Stadium in Kirinyaga County during Masujaa Day, Kenyatta pledged to continue protecting Kenya’s territorial integrity.
“For us to become architects of the future, we must begin by protecting what was left behind by the heroes who liberated this country. And in particular, we were charged with the responsibility of taking care of our territorial integrity,” he said.
The Head of State further stated that the transformation of the security sector in the country, including the military, has been among his administration’s key agenda.
He further pointed out that his administration had rolled out a successful campaign over the years to modernize the military in a bid to guarantee the security of the country.
He also vowed to keep the Kenya Defence Forces in Somalia.
His sentiments comes in the wake of a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in regards to the maritime boundary dispute with Somalia.
The ICJ largely ruled in favour of Somalia in the long-standing Indian Ocean boarder row.
The court put up a provisional equidistance line in the disputed area between Kenya and Somalia, giving Mogadishu up to half of its claim of the disputed border.
Kenyatta termed the ruling erroneous, adding that Kenya is committed to a diplomatic process to resolve the impasse.
