Influence of Kenya's Military engagement in Somalia on the achievement of Kenya’s National interests.

Abstract

Kenya's military engagement in Somalia since 2011 represents a significant shift from traditional noninterference to active regional security participation. This study examined the influence of Kenya's military engagement in Somalia on achieving national interests, focusing on three key dimensions: border security enforcement operations, maritime security operations, and peace support and stabilization missions. The research employed a descriptive design using quantitative approaches to analyze data from 165 stakeholders, including military officers, government officials, counterterrorism experts, and community members, achieving a 96.5% response rate. The study utilized structured questionnaires and employed SPSS version 27.0 for statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The theoretical framework was grounded in realist international relations theory, particularly defensive realism, which explains Kenya's intervention as rational threat-balancing behavior to protect vital national interests. Key findings revealed that all three military engagement components significantly influenced national interests’ achievement. Regression analysis demonstrated strong explanatory power (R² = 0.718, F = 78.03, p < 0.001), with border security enforcement showing the strongest individual impact (β = 0.351), followed by maritime operations (β = 0.312) and peace missions (β = 0.308). International cooperation and regional influence achieved highest success levels, while economic protection and addressing conflict root causes showed lower effectiveness. The study concludes that Kenya's military engagement effectively advances national interests through complementary mechanisms, validating defensive realist theory while highlighting the importance of comprehensive approaches. Recommendations include maintaining comprehensive engagement while prioritizing border security investments, enhancing bilateral capacity building, developing integrated civilmilitary strategies, and pursuing diplomatic initiatives to address underlying political tensions for sustainable long-term stability.