NAIROBI — Kenya plans to expand the Manda Bay air base near the coastal tourist town of Lamu with funding from the United States, a move aimed at strengthening operations against the Islamist group al-Shabaab, Kenyan officials said.
The air base, run by the Kenya Defence Forces and located close to the border with Somalia, will be upgraded to bolster counterterrorism capabilities as al-Shabaab intensifies cross-border attacks, worsening security in the region.
The expansion highlights deepening military ties between Kenya and the United States. In 2024, former US president Joe Biden designated Kenya a major non-NATO ally, elevating security and diplomatic cooperation despite the absence of a formal mutual defence pact.
Kenyan police confirmed that suspected al-Shabaab militants recently killed a local administrator and a teacher in the town of Hulugho in northeastern Kenya, near the Somali border.
Al-Shabaab, which controls parts of southern and central Somalia, has repeatedly targeted Kenyan forces and civilians in cross-border attacks. Security analysts say the assaults are intended to pressure Nairobi into withdrawing its troops from the African Union Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The US military investment comes as Kenya grapples with economic strains and persistent security challenges along its porous border with Somalia, where militant violence has remained a key concern.
If you have information about the activities of the Al-Shabaab,
Call 
0611169105.
