The United States Embassy in Nairobi has clarified reports regarding an alleged meeting between President William Ruto and the Somali militant group Al-Shabaab.
The clarification comes after a document purported to be a statement from the US Embassy surfaced on social media.
The statement, which has since been flagged as fake, claimed that the US government was aware of reports about such a meeting and had labeled it as deeply troubling.
It further asserted that the US viewed such an engagement as a blatant disregard for the shared values of peace, security, and the rule of law that define the longstanding partnership between the United States and Kenya.
According to the flagged statement, the US strongly condemned any engagement with Al-Shabaab, deeming it incompatible with the global fight against terrorism.
US Embassy flags letter
It also suggested that such actions would undermine the collective international efforts to combat terrorism and have serious consequences for the bilateral relationship between Kenya and the US.
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However, the US Embassy in Nairobi quickly flagged the statement with a fake stamp, denying its authenticity and refuting the claims made in the document.
Also, a close look at the fake document by The Kenya Times revealed typos, inconsistent fonts and formatting that raised red flags over its credibility.
This comes more than a week after five chiefs were abducted by suspected Al-Shabaab militants while assessing the security situation in Mandera county before President Ruto’s tour of the region.
The chiefs were on official duty traveling to the Elwak area for a meeting to prepare for Ruto’s week-long tour of the Northeastern region, when they were intercepted by their kidnappers and their vehicle driven towards neighboring Somalia.
Intelligence reports indicated that upon the abduction of the chiefs, they were driven to Somalia and are currently held captive by the suspected militants within Al-Shabaab cells in Jilib.
President Ruto on Tuesday, February 4, directed the National Police Service (NPS) to take immediate action to secure the Northeastern region following the recent abduction of the five chiefs.
Ruto speaks after suspected Al-shabaab ambush
Speaking in Mandera during his week-long development tour, Ruto alleged that the chiefs were abducted in an attempt to block his visit from Mandera adding that such attempts would not prevent him from visiting the county.
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He assured residents of the region of safety while maintaining that the government remains steadfast in its fight against terrorism and criminal elements.
Ruto further vowed a sustained crackdown on terrorist activities, stressing that Kenya would not cede any part of its territory to militants.
“You know, these fools were thinking that by doing what they did yesterday, I wouldn’t come here. They are mad. I haven’t just come to Mandera—I have come with Mandera, and I am staying in Mandera,” President Ruto said.
“Peace and stability are critical to our country’s progress. We are battling criminal elements of different kinds, and we are winning this war against crime and terrorism.”
Kenya has since sent a multi-agency team led by community elders to Somalia to start negotiations for the release of the abducted chiefs
The missing chiefs are Mohammed Adawa, Mohammed Hassan Kulmia, Abdi Hassan Suraw, Mohammed Noor Hache and assistant chief Ibrahim Gabow.
Back home, intelligence officials have shifted focus to the towns of Wante, Qurqura, Elele, Ires Kinto, Fino, and Kutayu where it is suspected the militants were in hiding before they abducted the local administrators.
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