Sunday, October 05, 2008
The chairman, Fred Kapondi says the government must come clear on the issue to stem wild speculation.
Pressure for the government to clear the air of the cargo aboard the hijacked ship MV Faina which includes 33 T72 tanks and an assortment of weapons, have been mounting with COTU secretary general calling on defense minister Yusuf Haji to shed light on the matter
Kapondi said his team will be seeking to establish the actual owner of the military cargo, details of its importation and its security implications on the country.
"As the chairman of a very crucial parliamentary committee, I reiterate that there is no need of keeping this matter secret anymore as it will continue giving room to speculation,' the Mount Elgon MP said.
Alternatively, the MP called on the African Union (AU) to secure the pirate infested Somali Coastline in order to arrest future hijacking incidents of ship, some loaded with dangerous material which might cause havoc if such items fall in the wrong hands.
The committee chair also called on the Kenyan Navy to extend its patrol to the international waters to minimize the lawlessness currently obtaining in the Somali Coastline.
The move comes barely a day after a group of MPs met at a Mombasa hotel to discuss the security situation in the country.
During the meeting, defense assistant minister Joseph Nkaissery urged Kenyans to be patient until the ship is rescued after which a verification of the cargo will be conducted.
The MV Faina is currently moored off Somalia's coast close to the town of Hoboyo.
There have been conflicting reports of where the Faina and its cargo are destined.
Kenya has insisted that the shipment is destined for its military, but regional maritime official, including a US navy spokesman, said it was bound for the autonomous government of south Sudan, in possible contravention of a peace accord.
As a sovereign nation, Kenya has a right to buy and sell arms.
According to the latest report released by the Ukrainian government, Kenya imported 40,000 automatic rifles and submachine guns and 405 grenade launchers last year.
"Although Kenyan officials made it clear that the 33 T-72 tanks, grenade launchers and ammunition aboard the hijacked Ukrainian ship MV Faina were part of a larger deal under which tanks, artillery and small arms and light weapons were delivered by Ukraine in 2007, these weapons did not appear in Kenya's recent submission to UNROCA for 2007," Holtom said.
Significantly, he pointed out, the report to UNROCA of no imports or exports was made on Sept. 26 this year, the same day that MV Faina was hijacked off the coast of Somalia and just hours before it was expected to dock at the port of Mombasa, east Kenya.
Source: KBC, Oct 05, 2008