Somalia cuts diplomatic ties with Kenya

  
Somali government has announced that it is severing its diplomatic ties with neighboring Kenya for violating its sovereignty. Somalian Information Minister Osman Dube, who announced the government’s decision in a televised speech late on Monday December 14, said Somalia ordered all its diplomats in Kenya to return, while Kenyan diplomats in Somalia have been ordered to leave within seven days.
 The Kenyan government was accused of “recurring” interference in its political affairs as Mogadishu prepares for long-awaited elections. This came after the East African hosted the leadership of Somaliland, a breakaway state not recognised by the central government in Mogadishu which considers the territory part of Somalia.

At the time, Somalia accused Kenya of “overt and blatant” interferences in the internal and political affairs of Somalia. Specifically, Somalia accused Kenya of placing “great political pressure” on Somali regional leader Ahmed Mohamed Islam known as Ahmed Madobe of Jubaland, in order to pursue its political and economic interests in Somalia.
 Dubbe who made the announcement said;
 “The Somali government considers the people of Kenya a peace-loving community who want to live in harmony with other societies in the region. But the current leadership of Kenya is working to drive the two sides apart.
“The government took this decision to respond to recurring outright political violations and interference by Kenya against the sovereignty of our country.”