KDF Soldiers Complain

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

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of poor working conditions.  I have mentioned this elsewhere before.  These guys are fighting their LOOTenants and Al-Shabab.  The military budget continues to baloon, but they have nothing to show for it.  AMISOM is fully funded as far as I can tell, and they are getting 20 bob(40 bob for married ones) a day for hardship allowance.   6 to 12 USD a month.

This is the stuff that guy in El Adde(I can never forget his face) was complaining about, even as slowly perished from his wounds.  When you are too corrupt, you don't go to war.

http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Soldiers-seek-better-terms-for-troops-in-war-against-Shabaab/-/1056/3295418/-/146us1yz/-/index.html

[MOON Ki]

of poor working conditions.  I have mentioned this elsewhere before.  These guys are fighting their LOOTenants and Al-Shabab.  The military budget continues to baloon, but they have nothing to show for it.  AMISOM is fully funded as far as I can tell, and they are getting 20 bob(40 bob for married ones) a day for hardship allowance.   6 to 12 USD a month.

That's quite a chunk of change ... better not spend it all in one place!    For more, consider charcoal and sugar ...

The figures in this Daily-Nation report appear accurate (at least as far as intentions go):

http://www.nation.co.ke/news/-/1056/3053596/-/qk83vtz/-/index.html

(The word "allowance" is interesting, as it suggests something on top of a salary; such a view would find support in some EU documentation on the matter.)

At the time this article came out, the EU stated that it would reduce funding because of "conflicting priorities".   Then it stated that the reason was that the AU had last year committed itself to making a contribution to the tab and then promptly forgotten about it.   Which is true, and, indeed, the AU was very busy railing against neo-colonial, imperialism ...     

The real story came out in May/June when the EU indicated that what had really pissed them off were "accounting irregularities".    And would someone please explain, or no more money.   I don't know about the EU diplomats in East Africa, but I know that where my compatriots are involved, "accounting irregularities" are part of the cost of doing business.   Put them under "contingencies", or something, in the budget.   

"These guys are fighting ...":  I don't know about that.    "These guys" are known to be very fierce when it comes to dealing with civilians---Mt. Elgon, Wagalla, etc.---but I would not directly extend that to fighting.  We have little information on such.   Take, as an example, the El-Ade disaster earlier this year.    At the time, plenty in the Kenyan media, plenty of promises from the government .... and then?  What happened, how many Kenyans died, ... ?

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

I see them as cannon fodder.  Whether they are fighting or not is secondary to the fact that when they die, they will be promptly replaced.  AMISOM is a gold mine for a select few people in GoK.  Kenya will leave Somalia over their dead bodies.

The worry when soldiers who have seen combat begin to openly complain.  The temptation to set up redemption councils goes up.  They are used to getting their way.

[Simanova]

This is extremely dangerous. This is no laughing matter. This is the stuff that has seen many countries go to the dogs. This must be addressed urgently and must not become a political duel between CORD and Jubilee. Unpaid soldiers; Disgruntled soldiers; Junior Soldiers unhappy with commanding officers; Soldiers sent to fight without equipment.... are dangerous. They overthrow governments like a joke!

[MOON Ki]

This is extremely dangerous. This is no laughing matter. This is the stuff that has seen many countries go to the dogs. This must be addressed urgently and must not become a political duel between CORD and Jubilee. Unpaid soldiers; Disgruntled soldiers; Junior Soldiers unhappy with commanding officers; Soldiers sent to fight without equipment.... are dangerous. They overthrow governments like a joke!

I wouldn't worry too much about that in a place like Kenya.   

First, and perhaps most important, they are "way over there".  (I doubt that anyone, except relatives and the like, even thinks about them unless there is some disaster and it is reported, for a few minutes, in the media.)  They are not going to overthrow anyone from "way over there".

Second, Kenya is a country of "eaters".    Suppose those guys over there mutiny and someone says to the troops back home, or even some of the troops over there, "You will get a two-month bonus payment, half now, if you go beat the crap out of the mutineers".    Are you sure there won't be many takers?   (These are the "disciplined forces" that have few qualms when it comes to committing atrocities on civilians.)  Would these "small" guys be complaining if they were getting their cut from the sugar and charcoal and regularly enjoying some big-butt Somalian women in the towns?

As I see it, the real problem is the virulent corruption  that has pretty much destroyed the moral fibre of the country.  As long as we cheerfully agree to being a country of thieves and scoundrels, why should we expect the military to be immune?       These complaints are just a small bump in the road of charcoal, sugar, and "accounting irregularities".   They will soon be forgotten, but we should expect to have a few every so often.  So, as His Excellency M. Kibaki would have said in such circumstances: kazi iendelee.     

[Georgesoros]

Nkaissery has taken all the cash and left our soldiers moneyless and in the bush.