UN Security Council urged to summon Kenya over alleged arms supply to Sudan's RSF
Fourteen civil society organisations led by the Kenya Human Rights Commission, International Commission of Jurists, and Independent Medico-Legal Unit, said Kenya must be held to account for allegedly contributing to a conflict that has devastated civilians and destabilised the region.
Human rights groups have called on the United Nations Security Council to urgently summon Kenya to respond to allegations of supplying weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a militia accused of committing widespread atrocities amid the ongoing war in Sudan.
In a joint statement, 14 civil society organisations led by the Kenya Human Rights Commission, International Commission of Jurists, and Independent Medico-Legal Unit, said Kenya must be held to account for allegedly contributing to a conflict that has devastated civilians and destabilised the region.
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They are also demanding that Parliament summon the Ministry of Defence to give a public and detailed explanation on how arms allegedly destined for the Kenya Defence Forces ended up in the hands of the RSF militia.
“This question is of the utmost importance, given the impact such actions would have on human rights in Sudan,” the groups said.
Their statement follows revelations from an investigative media report that exposed military-grade ammunition bearing Kenyan emblems at a storage facility reportedly used by RSF fighters.
They argue that beyond the ammunition, Kenya has hosted RSF leaders, including giving a red-carpet reception to General Mohammed Dagalo, evidence they claim further implicates Nairobi.
“We urge the UN Security Council to urgently summon Kenya to respond to these serious concerns regarding its involvement in fueling the continuation of the conflict in Sudan, which runs contrary to the United Nations Security Council’s efforts and other UN mechanisms to address the conflict,” the groups said.
Among the other organisations backing the call are African 4 The Horn of Africa Initiative, Atrocities Watch Africa, Civic Freedoms Forum, Kariobangi and Kawangware Paralegal Networks, Mathare Social Justice Centre, Muslims for Human Rights, the Pan African Lawyers Union, Pawa 254, Social Justice Centres Working Group and Utu Wetu Trust.
The Ministry of Defence has rejected the accusations, stating it does not recognise the crates of ammunition marked as Kenyan. But the groups dismissed the response as inadequate, pointing out that the ministry failed to explain whether Kenya has exported or transferred arms internationally or if any weapons were diverted.
“The ministry did not mention if Kenya has done any exports, international transfers, or diversion of weapons, to explain otherwise the presence of the Kenya-labelled crates of ammunition found near Khartoum,” they said.
The call comes as the UN’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan reported having reasonable grounds to believe the RSF and its allied militias have committed war crimes, including rape, sexual slavery, pillage, forced displacement, and the recruitment of children under 15 to fight.
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