The Principle of Territorial Integrity as a Determinant of Kenya’s National Security Policy 2002-2016

Abstract

Over the years, Kenya has experienced a variety of security issues. In response, this study investigates whether the territorial integrity concept had an impact on Kenya's national security policies during a fourteen-year period (i.e., 2002-2016). The following set of questions have been formulated to provide a guiding framework for the study: i) how has Kenya's security strategies been affected by the porousness of its border with Somalia? (ii) How has Kenya's security sector been affected by the rise of small guns and criminal elements? iii) What has Kenya's reaction-and ultimately the end result-been to any possible or actual territorial challenges to her borders? The study has been able to make use of various crucial secondary data sources, including journals, books that have been published, government documents, media stories, and internet source materials, in order to adequately respond to these concerns. After conducting extensive research, the study has come to the firm conclusion that the porousness of the border between Kenya and Somalia has significantly influenced the influx of large groups of people with refugee status into the nation (of Kenya), which in turn has correlatedly led to an increase in the number of small arms and other weapons, which has then increased the criminal elements in Kenya.