Statehouse dismisses KDF Charcoal trade claims

Statehouse spokesperson Manoah Esipisu has out rightly condemned reports by the media that link the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to illegal charcoal trade in Somalia.

The business is alleged to be a means used by the Islamist terror group, Al Shabaab in its funding.

In a press statement issued on Sunday, November 6^th, the statehouse spokesman said the report, released by a United Nations (UN) monitoring group, failed to quote tangible sources and people involved in the alleged KDF trade.

“The reports quote a UN report, which itself typically quotes faceless people and non-governmental organizations,” said Esipisu.

According to Manoah, the report was a way of demoralizing the Kenyan troops.

“This appears a series of reports NGOs have carried over time, with the sole agenda of demoralising our troops,” said Esispisu in the statement.

Manoah also insisted that the Kenyan troops will remain on Somalian soil, to continue with the peace keeping mission in the country.

“We are focused on the job that took us to Somalia in the first place, and will not be distracted by the latest hogwash masquerading as research,” he added in the statement.

The troops had last year been accused of illegally benefiting Ksh. 1.2 billion last year, from the same charcoal trade.