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UNCLAS NAIROBI 000480 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KE PGOV PREL PTER SO
SUBJECT: TERRORIST THREAT PROMPTS KENYA TO EXPAND BORDER 
PATROL FORCES 
 
¶1. (U) The Kenyan government has announced plans to recruit 
4000 additional Administrative Police (AP) officers to boost 
security along Kenya's porous borders and protect against 
terrorist threats.  Permanent Secretary for Internal Security 
and Provincial Administration, Francis Kimemia, announced 
that the AP also plans to procure 96 motor vehicles and an 
unknown number of helicopters to improve the police's 
transportation capabilities.  The announced increases follow 
a February 16 statement by Internal Security Minister George 
Saitoti that the country faces a heightened risk of terrorist 
attacks.  News reports quote police officials as saying they 
are concerned Somali extremists may plan to launch terrorist 
attacks in retaliation for Kenya's cooperation with the U.S. 
in fighting terrorism.  Immediately following Minister 
Saitoti's public statement increased security measures were 
implemented at Kenya's international airports and major land 
border crossings. 
 
¶2. (U) AP Commandant Kinuthia Mbugua also stated that the 
government has already established border control units and 
has allocated additional funds for their operations and 
management.  Commandant Mbugua announced that the AP intends 
to deploy additional units to perform surveillance along the 
borders in order to combat terrorist infiltration, weapons 
trafficking and illegal immigration. 
 
¶3. (U) Descended from the colonial era tribal police, the AP 
performs community level policing, largely in rural areas not 
served by the Kenyan Police Service (KPS).  While AP officers 
are armed and have arrest authority, the KPS is responsible 
for investigating crimes and prosecuting criminal cases. 
Other AP duties include protection of Kenyan government VIPs 
(below the level of the president) and providing security at 
camps for foreign refugees and internally displaced persons. 
The AP also supports the Kenyan Revenue Authority (customs) 
and the immigrations services at land, sea and air ports of 
entry (POE), providing security and arrest authority to those 
agencies.  Recently the AP has been given the additional task 
of providing border protection in rural areas away from the 
major POEs.  In these duties the AP cooperates with the Kenya 
Wildlife Service (KWS) which has jurisdiction over Kenyan 
national parks and nature reserves, several of which are 
located along the borders. 
 
¶4. (U) Visiting border security experts have noted that the 
Kenyan government appears committed to securing its land and 
maritime borders.  The AP and KWS both have well trained, 
professional personnel and effectively cooperate on border 
security.  Challenges in securing Kenya's borders include: 1) 
the lack of a comprehensive national border strategy; 2) 
severe shortages in infrastructure, equipment, technology and 
mobility assets for border control; 3)  the very diverse 
landscape, in both terrain and culture, along Kenya's 
borders; 4) cross border terrorism and criminal threats; and 
5) the lack of an effective government in Somalia able to 
work with Kenya to control their common border.  While both 
services operate schools for training officers to patrol the 
border there is a need for more advanced instruction in 
operations, tactics and technology. 
 
¶5. (U) Comment: Kenya is a major communications and 
transportation hub for East and Central Africa.  Millions of 
legitimate border crossings by cargo trucks, tourists, 
nomadic herders, business travelers and others take place 
every year, contributing greatly to the economic life of the 
region.  However, terrorists, gun runners, smugglers, human 
traffickers, illegal immigrants, poachers, cattle rustlers 
and others also cross Kenya's borders with relative ease. 
With 3477 kilometers of land boundaries, much of them passing 
through remote and sparsely populated areas, and a 536 
kilometer coastline, Kenya faces a daunting task in seeking 
to control its borders. 
RANNEBERGER