Defense Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Chief of the Defense Forces (CDF) General Francis Ogolla visited Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops serving under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in Kismayo.
Duale relayed a message of goodwill from His Excellency Dr. William Ruto and delivered a message aimed at boosting the morale of the soldiers and appreciating their noble efforts in contributing to peace, security, and stability in the Horn of Africa.
The Kismayo region is among those largely controlled by al-Shabaab militants, who usually breach security to attack despite ongoing campaigns to address the menace.
The CS commended the KDF troops for their professionalism, integrity, and discipline, which have endeared them to numerous peace support operations in the region, the continent, and globally.
The two and their team met the second Vice President, Security Minister Abdikadir Haji Mohamud, and the Somali National Army/Jubaland Security Forces (SNA/JSF) Commander, who made a broad presentation of the security situation in Jubaland.
They later received a briefing from both the Sector Commander in charge of Sector 6 and the Commanding Officer in charge of the 2 Mechanized Infantry Battalion (MIB).
The two leaders assured the troops of their steadfast support for the mission success and encouraged them to continue serving with valour and dedication in concert with other Troops Contributing Countries (TCCs).
They affirmed that the KDF is committed to achieving the ATMIS mandate of supporting a Somali-led peace process, emphasizing that a peaceful Somalia is a major step toward a peaceful region for socio-economic growth and prosperity.
