Maswahiba wa Kenya wanajiuliza maswali lukuki juu ya mikakati ya Kenya:
28th October 2011, London
Are Kenyans seeking a buffer zone in Somalia??????????
As Kenya's troops continue their incursion into southern Somalia in pursuit of Islamist militants,
the BBC's Will Ross considers the motives behind the deployment.
"I hope in three or four months, al-Shabab will have been removed from our region. Then one day I'll invite you to come to Kismayo to see what's going on," said Abdullahi Shafi, personal assistant to the governor of Somalia's Lower Juba region.
He is hopeful that with Kenyan military help, he can soon return home to a new semi-autonomous region in southern Somalia.
"We have been in hell for the last 20 years. We need a new Somalia," he said, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with
"Azania" -
the name of the new region which comprises Gedo, Lower Juba and Middle Juba.
It already has a flag - blue, white and red - a parliament, a house of elders and a president in waiting.
The Kenyan government says it sent troops to Somalia to fight al-Shabab, whom it blames for the recent kidnappings of tourists and aid workers.
"Kenya has the capacity, the ability and the will to defend its territory and its people," said Moses Wetangula, Kenya's foreign minister.
But analysts point out that for several years Kenya, with international support, has been
pushing for Azania, traditionally known as Jubaland, to be set up.
Kenya has trained and equipped Somali troops, as it would like a buffer zone to shield its territory from lawless Somalia.
So some analysts see the kidnappings as just a convenient excuse for carrying out the plan militarily.
The army has been giving unverifiable reports of success across the border.
The Kenyan media, which have scarcely questioned the motive for going to war, have told the country about captured towns that no one has ever heard of.
One front page article referred to the "imminent fall of Kismayo".
For now, the cautious voices are being drowned out.
"
It's not going to be easy for Kenya to stabilise and pacify that part of Somalia, much less drive out al-Shabab," said Rashid Abdi, of the International Crisis Group.
"
I think the Kenyans are into a very long and messy intervention in Somalia."
Rich in oil?
The man who hopes to soon end his
absentee presidency says the creation of Azania, in April, came about following the consultation of more than 30 clans.
He says he is not a separatist, but speaks of a bright future for his people in a Somalia where power is devolved from Mogadishu.
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BBC News - Are Kenyans seeking a buffer zone in Somalia?
