By ABDIKAFAR HOSH 10/27/2011
One Kenyan government official today said they are ready to negotiate with the al-Shabaab terror group in Somalia to end the fighting while another said Kenya would never negotiate with a terrorist group.
Speaking at a press conference in the Kenyan parliament house in Nairobi, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Richard Onyonko says that Kenya is ready to halt the operation in Somalia on condition that the militia renounces violence.
“The truth is that al-Shabaab is frequently and constantly in touch with the Kenyan government...If al-Shabaab would like to discuss and engage with the Kenyan government, our position right now is yes,” he said.
The assistant minister indicated the negotiations must abide by both the 2008 Djibouti and 2011 Kampala Agreements.
He declined to confirm or deny western media reports the al-Shabaab militants have approached Kenya for negotiations. Mr. Onyonko also mentioned that the Kenya government has long known of the al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliated organization, presence in Kenya.
“We know that some al-Shabaab people have been staying here and it was a deliberate government decision to allow them to stay here," said Mr. Onyonko.
Meanwhile Alfred Mutua, Kenyan Police commissioner in Nairobi, said at the same press conference that there were no plans whatsoever to negotiate with the Islamic militants in Somalia.
“Kenya does not negotiate with outlawed organizations so I think the only negotiation with al-Shabaab is what is going in Somalia. That is our negotiation with al-Shabaab,” said Mr. Mutua referring to the Kenyan military incursion into southern Somalia.