{UAH} M7 Plots to Kick Kenya Out of Somalia but to keep Amisom Open !

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Amisom defends Kenya's presence in SomaliaBy KAZUNGU CHAI | Monday, August 5   2013 at  16:28

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Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta follows the proceedings at Munyonyo Speke Resort Kampala, Uganda. On his left is Defence Minister Rachelle Omamo. NATION MEDIA GROUP 

Leaders of countries contributing troops to the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (Amisom) Sunday said unfair accusations, deliberate distortion of facts and bad mouthing against their members must stop.

The leaders' spoke in the wake of a statement appearing in Kenyan and Somali media, attributed to some Somali leaders, saying Kenya should withdraw its troops from the Horn of Africa country.

The Somali delegation withdrew the statement at the meeting at Munyonyo, Uganda, after Kenya and other regional countries strongly objected.

Kenya has played a leading role in peace initiatives in Somalia, leading to major achievements including liberation of the Port of Kismayu. ( Uganda failed to liberate Kismayu after the Uganda  jets crashed into Mt Kenya )

In a communiqué issued at the end of the Amisom Troops Contributing Countries (TCC) Heads of State summit in Uganda, the leaders, including President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, host Yoweri Museveni, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, argued that the move was premature and would cause a dysfunctional command and control.

They said folding Amisom into the UN mission would cause inequitable distribution of resources and render operations of the mission ineffective.

They emphasised the need for continued African leadership in the efforts to stabilise Somalia and reduce the threat of Al-Shabaab.

They underlined the fight against Al-Shabaab as the major focus of TCC.

The summit also supported the Federal Government of Somalia's commitment to hold elections by 2016.

The leaders requested the Somali government to prioritise the reintegration of various militias, with the exception of Al-Shabaab and its allies, to establish a cohesive Somalia National Security Force.

President Kenyatta arrived home Monday morning from Kampala