Uhuru calls for African standby force

By PSCU

President Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged African countries to scale up their contribution to peace and stability on the continent.

He backed calls by the African ministers of Defence for all countries to meet their obligations in ensuring an African Standby Force is ready for deployment by 2015.

“Our partners and friends have been of great help to us.  But to rely on outside help for our security would be to sully our independence.  In any case, the help is often inadequate to our needs, and its application inflexible,” the President said.

He was addressing the 22nd Ordinary Session of the African Union Heads of State and Government Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, yesterday.

 As part of Kenya’s 50th anniversary since independence, and an expression of solidarity with the continent’s determination to secure its future, Uhuru announced a voluntary contribution of $1 million (Sh86 million) to the AU Peace Fund.

He said the contribution could be used to make a reality the ‘Exercise Amani Africa’ and to set up the African Standby Force.

“Whichever way it is used, we have made concrete our commitment to solidarity and peace in this time of conflict,” the President said.

Uhuru said the conflicts in the  Central Africa Republic and South Sudan have reminded the continent of the need to galvanise support to pre-empt political differences before they deteriorate into full-blown wars.

“These conflicts, so near to us, remind us that we must join hands with our neighbours to prevent them from breaking, and respond to them when they do break, as occasionally they will,” the President said.