When former President Uhuru Kenyatta presided over the Presidential and Regimental Colour Presentation Ceremony at Kenya Navy Base Manda Bay in Lamu County. [File, Standard]The United States has launched a $70-million runway expansion project at a military base in Kenya near the border with Somalia, aimed at boosting counter-terrorism operations in the Horn of Africa. In 2024, former president Joe Biden announced plans to make Kenya the first major non-NATO ally in sub-Saharan Africa, boosting military and diplomatic links, although without a formal security pact. The outpost represents "a very tangible commitment, the common defence between the United States and Kenya", he said. In 2020, three American citizens were killed when Al-Shabaab breached heavy security at Camp Simba, part of the Manda Bay military base, destroying several aircraft and military vehicles.

Source: Standard Digital January 30, 2026 15:56 UTC