KENYA: KDF Soldiers in South Sudan Finally Return to Kenya

 
 KDF soldiers at the airport 



Kenya has officially begun withdrawing the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) from the South Sudan peacekeeping mission with 100 soldiers arriving at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Wednesday morning.

Upon arrival, KDF spokesman Lt-Col Paul Njuguna confirmed that the troops were based in Wahu, Juba adding that 100 more soldiers would arrive later in the evening.

President Uhuru Kenyatta made the decision to withdraw the soldiers after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sacked Lt Gen Johnson Mogoa Ondieki - the Kenyan Commander of the UN mission in South Sudan (Unmiss) after a damning report emerged.

According to the report, it was found out that "chaotic and ineffective response" coupled with poor leadership, may have led to the death of many civilians who were not protected during the fight.

After the soldiers arrived at the airport, Kenyans took to social media under the Hashtag #KDFexitsSS to welcome the troops back home.

Interestingly, though, a majority of online users asked President Kenyatta to also withdraw KDF soldiers from war-torn Somalia.