We’ll Not Cede an Inch of Kenyan Territory, Gov't Declares as Row with Somalia Escalates

The government has declared it will not cede an inch of Kenyan territory to another country as border row with Somalia escalates.

Speaking during a press briefing, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary ambassador Monica Juma says that Somalia must withdraw illegal maps from the contested maritime zone with Kenya.

Juma says that Kenya has learned that Somalia is planning to sign a deal auctioning oil and gas blocks in the disputed maritime zone in the Indian Ocean at the end of 2019.

“We will not cede an inch of Kenyan territory to any government,” declares Juma.

Juma accuses Somalia of misleading the world in a presentation it made during a recent Oil and Gas Conference in London.

"The presentations had critical dates and schedule for the process. The Federal Government of Somalia is deliberately misleading the world on the process to be concluded in September,” Juma explains.

The dispute between the two countries lies within four maritime blocks rich in oil and gas deposits. 

Nairobi says Mogadishu intends to auction the four blocks by the end of the year to the highest bidder.

“Countries have gone to war for far less than this but we have remained extremely restrained in the hope that we can find a way of engaging and resolving this matter and getting back to where we were. What next depends on what happens, I don’t want to speculate on that, but we will inform you as events evolve.”

“I don’t know why Somalia is doing this now. Kenya has the highest investment in seeking the stability of Somalia in per capita terms in the world. We have walked with Somalia since the 80s; we have hosted their refugees in large numbers to date, and we still do. We underwrote their peace process. We helped in supporting the formation of the government in returning the government to Baidoa. We have walked every step with the Somalia government," Monica notes.