Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops serving under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) in Kismayo on February 5, conducted free medical outreach in Wadajir Village, on the outskirts of Kismayo.
In a statement, KDF said its personnel attended to more than one hundred residents during the outreach, noting that they were treated for “common ailments like skin infections among children, common cold for the aged, urinary tract infections, and upper respiratory tract infections, as well as dental cases.”
KDF said, “Patients were treated on site, while those presenting complications or requiring further evaluation were referred to the camp’s Level 1 Plus hospital for specialized medical care.”
KDF community work
According to KDF, the medical outreach is part of AUSSOM’s ongoing humanitarian support efforts to help local Somali communities access basic services.
Some of the services include health care, as the mission focuses on stabilizing Somalia to complement ongoing security operations.
KDF was deployed to Somalia under the AUSSOM to help in the restoration of security in the war-torn country.
The Kenyan soldiers under the AU arrangement are also charged with maintaining peace and order and providing medical relief to the residents.
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According to the Constitution, under Article 241, clause 3, it is the responsibility of the Defence Force to defend and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic, assist and cooperate with other authorities in an emergency or disaster, and report to the National Assembly whenever deployed in such circumstances.
“May be deployed to restore peace in any part of Kenya affected by unrest or instability only with the approval of the National Assembly,” as stated in the Kenya constitution under Article 241 clause 3 (c) shows that deployment of the KDF is legalized by the constitution of Kenya 2010.
African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM)
“AUSSOM has finally become operational, beginning Jan. 1, 2025, as per UN Security Council Resolution 2767 (2024). It will build on the achievements made under ATMIS to ensure Somalia realizes long-term peace and security,” Mohamed El-Amine Souef, the special representative of the chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, said.
AUSSOM was formed to replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and to transition security responsibilities to a country’s own force, as endorsed in December 2024 by the UN Security Council (UNSC) to the African Union Peace and Security Council.
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Federal Government of Somalia was requested to ensure that there is coordination between AUSSOM and international security partners to ensure that they maximize the effectiveness.
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