STATEMENT OF THE KENYA NATIONAL YOUTH CONVENTION REGARDING THE ONGOING MV FAINA PIRACY INCIDENT
Oct 1st, 2008 by Mars Group Kenya
STATEMENT OF THE KENYA NATIONAL YOUTH CONVENTION REGARDING THE ONGOING MV FAINA PIRACY INCIDENT
The Kenya National Youth Convention (NYC) demands answers from the Government of Kenya.
The Kenya National Youth Convention (NYC) considers the ongoing MV Faina incident to be an exemplar of the reckless and dangerous conduct of national affairs by elements within the Government of Kenya, and calls for an end to the importation of offensive weaponry into the East African region. Such transactions endanger regional security rather than enhancing it. The position of the Government of Kenya does not ring true and the NYC after deliberation is seeking answers to disturbing questions about the MV Faina incident.
The Position of the Government of Kenya:
In the Government of Kenya’s last update, on September 28th 2008, to the people of Kenya the government spokesman is quoted as follows:
Questions for the Government of Kenya:
1. WHERE ARE THE ARMS END-USER CERTIFICATES TO PROVE THE GOK CASE? The Government has made public documents related to the shipping bills of lading but where is the end user certificate that confirms that these weapons were indeed purchased for use by the Kenya military, and further confirms that there is no possibility of re-export or resale or transfer to a third party? The Ukrainian Government would require such an end user certificate in order to sell the Government of Kenya these weapons. Rather than releasing shipping documentation, the Government can clear all doubt about its ownership by releasing the End User Certificate.
2. WHY IS KENYA NOT ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN SECURING THE CARGO OF THE MV FAINA? Why, if the weapons belong to Kenya, would we not be interested in talking to the pirates to secure our weapons? Press reports show that foreign militaries and the international press are in active contact with the pirates – why are foreigners showing more concern for the cargo of the MV Faina than the Government of Kenya which claims to have used tax-payers funds to acquire the dangerous cargo on board the MV Faina?
3. WHY WASN’T THE MV FAINA UNDER OFFICIAL KENYAN ESCORT? Although we are thankful that no Kenyan citizen has been taken hostage on the MV Faina we are curious as to why, if the weapons on board indeed belong to Kenya, there are no Kenyan military officials on board the Ukrainian Ship MV Faina to escort the weapons to Kenyan shores? Is this the manner in which the Government of Kenya transports dangerous weaponry?
4. WHERE IS THE KENYA NAVY AND WHY ISN’T IT BEING DEPLOYED TO SECURE THE MV FAINA CARGO? Where is the Kenya Navy Ship ‘Jasiri Mombasa’ and why wasn’t it, or isn’t it being deployed to assist in the recovery of the Faina’s consignment? By all official accounts Kenya has taken delivery of Jasiri Mombasa allegedly fitted with sophisticated equipment after paying around 4 billion shillings for it under controversial circumstances. Why should , the Jasiri Mombasa not be guarding our cargo at this very moment, or is it not true that this ship was another rip off of Kenyan Tax payers money and there is no such Kenya Navy ship?
5. WHY ARE WE ON AN ARMS BUYING SPREE? According to press reports the weapons on board the MV Faina are not the first recent export of T 72 tanks into Kenya. On the same day the Official Government Spokesman issued his last statement, Kenya Television Network broadcast footage of large numbers of tanks being transported by rail into the Kenya hinterland from Mombasa, and interviewed a shipping observer who stated that over 1 thousand five hundred tons of similar military tanks have been delivered in 3 prior shipments through Mombasa. Photographs have also appeared on the internet of tanks at Athi River Train Station in October 2007. Why at this time of economic hardship is the Government on an arms buying spree – Are we at war? Where did the Government of Kenya get the money to acquire these weapons and why are we buying second hand old T 72 tanks?
Recommendations:
INVESTIGATE THE MV FAINA INCIDENT – PUNISH THE CULPABLE IF WRONGDOING IS ESTABLISHED. The United Nations should establish an enquiry into the MV Faina incident and investigate this matter immediately. If it is found that the Government of Kenya is participating in illegal arms trade, especially in light of the arms embargo against Darfur related shipments into Sudan, the strongest possible action against all corporate entities and individuals involved in the MV Faina incident should be taken. The Kenyan people, and international interests in peace and security, will be better served by the punishment of such crimes and impunity must not be condoned.
REFORMS ARE NECESSARY IN SECURITY RELATED PROCUREMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF KENYA – PARLIAMENT MUST EXERT CIVILIAN CONTROL OVER THE MILITARY. The NYC demands that Parliament re-establish civilian control over the military of Kenya and that security related procurement be reformed to introduce levels of accountability and transparency in order to reduce opportunities for abuse of taxpayer’s funds on the grounds of national security and secrecy. In this regard a Special Audit of the alleged procurement of T 72 tanks is in order.
We reiterate our position that
“Reduction of recurrent expenditure should begin with cutting wasteful
expenditure by Government in the National Budget including spending [on] unjustifiably massive expenditure on secret security related procurement.”
As Parliament resumes its sessions next week, we demand that the defense budget must be cut by over 40% to curb this senseless wastage AND this money allocated to resettling all IDPs, Building social Halls for young Kenyans across the country and buying capital machinery for young people to enter productive enterprises using the show grounds and disused halls and government buildings across Kenya.
NYC shall not accept more of these Anglo-leasing-type frauds to go on unabated!
We call on the President, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence to issue their statements on this issue of the MV Faina incident which is a threat to Kenyan and regional security.What the pirates have done is an overt act of aggression against the Republic of Kenya.
Now, the Government must account to the people of Kenya. Whose weapons are these?
Issued by the Kenya National Youth Convention Working Group on Wednesday October 1st 2008
HIJACKED SHIP: UPDATE & POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF KENYA
The Government is actively monitoring the situation of the hijacked ship MV FAINA containing cargo for the Kenyan Military. The Government continues to work closely with our security partners in this endeavour. The Government has noted with concern, propaganda being peddled questioning the ownership of our Military equipment, which is in that ship. To this end, it should be very clear that:-
1. The Government of Kenya has claimed ownership of the cargo in the hijacked ship and stated in more than one forum that it is our cargo.
2. The shippers and sellers of the equipment have stated clearly that the cargo is for the Kenyan Ministry of Defence.
3. The Government of Sudan has also stated clearly that they have not ordered any of the said equipment.
4. Shipping documents show clearly that the cargo in the ship is destined for the Kenyan Military.
The question then arises – Why are some people making this an issue? The Government has been clear on this matter and will not get drawn to keep on repeating itself and justifying its military strategy, use of military equipment and defence plans.
Therefore, the Government does not have anything more to add to this issue and request media to stop making wild guesses, speculation and interferences, with no iota of proof or documents to back them.
In the near past, we have seen many allegations against Government Agencies pushed and promoted by media houses without any evidence given whatsoever. These allegations have in the most part been found to be baseless after causing so much disharmony in the country.
For example, at one time, newspapers and TV Stations ran headline stories questioning the authencity of a drug cache being held by the Kenyan Police. They even alluded that the drugs had been stolen and sold. International, including United Nations experts, came and publicly ascertained the drugs were all there despite the previous media propaganda that had been quoting so called “reliable” sources. Media never spoke of how wrong they, media, were.
We are all aware of the various allegations made during the last elections and the Kreigler Commission’s report showing no evidence to back up some of the serious allegations.
We, therefore, all need to be careful when we make serious allegations, and, especially, not just ask leading questions that confuse Wananchi. If you have proof provide it, and say what you are sure of, but it is wrong to hide behind questions, most of which are at times based on propaganda from discontented individuals and/or at worst terrorists.
Dr. Alfred N. Mutua, EBS
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY/
GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN
2nd October, 2008
My understanding is that a sovereign state has a right to keep her military and indeed all the vessels of government well supplied and updated. I wish that you could define for me the difference between an offensive weapon and a defensive one. Even a nuclear weapon can be defensive if used as a deterrent of some sort. We decided that we wanted to import our weaponry among other products, when we decided that we were not going to master manufacturing technology. Explain to your readers how a shipload of 33 tanks and an assortment of guns endanger our national security in this neighbourhood.
Is there one policy or government initiative that you support?
If you say that you do not have a hidden agenda, your opinions and articles are definately betraying you.
arming Sudan is a bad idea
one day we may not be friends
The writer of this post is rather ignorant. And do not claim to be speaking for Kenyans please. Who gave you the mandate to do so? Speak for yourself. Like I am reacting on my own behalf, according to my understanding.
I am a Kenyan youth, and do not and have never worked for the Government.
You speak of arms race. What arms race?? The Kenyan military needs arms. Period. There is no military without arms. Offensive weapons?? Weapons are considered offensive by first considering the nature of their use. Weapons for the Kenya military endanger the region’s security?? Grow up my friend. This has never happened and won’t happen just because you say so, by any standards the Kenyan military is the most disciplined in the region and among the best in the continent. And they have arms currently, quote me a case where they have used their weapons to endanger the region’s security.
You want to see the end user license?? OK. Go to the DOD.
You want us to secure the weapons? There are Kenyan military personnel aboard the American destroyer monitoring the Faina.
As for the official escort thing the Kenyan Navy has stated openly that a naval vessel was en route to escort the Mv Faina before it was hijacked off Somali waters in the Gulf of Aden.
If you have any basic idea in defence you will know that starting a fire fight with the pirates will only worsen the situation. There crew of the Faina will be endangered in such a situation. And you can be sure that the pirates will have lots of firepower and that a major portion of the cargo is explosive.
As for an arms buying spree. You are wrong. There ain’t no spree. And if you would have cared to get the Kenyan DoD facts available online you would have been in a position of understanding. I don’t call purchase of less than 500 tanks a spree. Of course the money being used by the government is your taxes and mine.
As for the UN investigating a legal purchase of arms by the DoD, haha. No comments. And even if the arms were going to Juba what will be the big deal?? The Chinese have been arming Khartoum since I don’t know when, with the embargo on. And the Independence of Southern Sudan is in our best interests. Why not help arm Southern Sudan in case the Arabs decide they will go against the peace agreement in the very likely scenario that Southern Sudan seeks self rule in 2011? Defence and racial politics ain’t as easy as you try to put them here my friend. The UN is just a tool for the West to justify their often misguided opinions on the rest of the world. Did George Bush seek clearance from the UN to invade Iraq? If yes, please go o with your suggestions.
As for pressing for more transparency in the budgets of the DoD I am with you. The hijacking of the Faina being an act of aggression against the Republic of Kenya?? Haha. The weapons are still not delivered. And unless they are delivered and certified as such they are not yet the property of the Republic of Kenya. They are in the hands of the shipping company.
Please try to be informed when you post information. Let us not be a nation of whiners.
DigitalX
I certainly hope the Faina is carrying Kenyan cargo because our Government repeatedly claims it is even in the face of plausible doubts. If what it is saying is not true – we are in big doodoo!
If the Faina is not bearing “our” weapons then Kenyans and the truth have been misrepresented at the highest level – and for no reason whatsoever. Read the US Department of Defence Transcript on this same blog and ask yourself whether you are happy that an American spokesman can speak of our President using the ambivalent terms Morrell of the Pentagon used?
As to Southern Sudan’s political destiny – what’s your quarrel? What stops the Government of Southern Sudan from buying its own weapons openly – there is no embargo is there?
Don’t be shortsighted and drop the attitude that this is an issue of Arabs versus Blacks – this is an issue of weapons proliferation in a potential conflict region. Have you ever heard about the Ilemi Triangle? Google it and ponder what you would say to your nearest and dearest on the day that the 100 + T-72 tanks our Government has shipped North come across the Kenyan border one day – heading South. I trust you will favour us with an answer as to how this is irrelevant to your concern for GOSS versus Khartoum.
Wise up. The Faina incident is a serious issue – don’t be frivolous about national security – or regional peace. Remember patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel!
Concerned, First, let me say that I do not subscribe to the ideology that we should be justified by the Americans or any other western power. Let the Americans say what they wanna say. The bottom line is that the American Empire is only interested in business, big business. There primary aim is to seduce, use, abuse and dump you. And who is Morell?? Someone insignificant I can assure you. The same pentagon told us in 2002 that Iraq had WMD’s. I am still waiting to see them paraded in Baghdad.
As for it being an Arab African issue.. it really is. That is why we got Darfur. That is why the south of the Sudan is being plundered of its resources daily. Unless we as Africans start recognizing that we got no real friends other than ourselves the better. About the Ilemi triangle.. well.. that is a completely different issue.
I am still rooted in the right of the southern Sudanese to break away from the Khartoum government. And that is Kenya’s best interest… so whenever they need our support we should offer an helping hand. Weapons or no weapons.
Presenter: Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell September 30th 2008
Q Where do you think that cargo [on the hijacked ship] was intended to go? And is that — is the intended destination a concern?
MR. MORRELL: I think the intended destination is less a concern than seeing this, at least in the near term, come to a peaceful solution — a peaceful resolution. We take — and have no reason not to take — the president of Kenya at his word when he expressed to the president of the United States yesterday that this shipment was bound for his government, which is a peaceful government with legitimate selfdefense needs. And so we have no reason to believe that this cargo was not destined to government of Kenya as their president suggests.
DigitalX Have a blessed Moi Day
I strongly believe that this is not the first weapon our country is acquiring to stengthen its defence system.if then that was the case,why the present doubt by the public and the media that the arms was destined for southern sudan? why did the government of sudan summon the kenyan ambassador in sudan as a token to its protest against the kenyan government probable link to MV faina? if the weapons belongs to kenyan why should sudan have to express its displeasures and disturbances about our weapon? T
The defence ministry has to Provide the public with enough evidence that the weapons onboard mv faina is not for the GOSS but for the GOK.kenya has midwifed the peace in sudan and should safe guard it.The good relation that our govrnment makes with sudan pours into the general public benefits,and the public should not allow some irresponsible element within the government to endanger it.
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