Kindiki Jets Out of Kenya for High-Stakes AU Security Summit in Uganda as AUSSOM Faces Funding Crisis
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has left Kenya for Uganda to attend a high-level African Union security summit focused on the future of the AU mission in Somalia, amid mounting concerns over the mission’s funding and the wider security situation in the Horn of Africa.
Kindiki departed Kenya on Friday morning aboard a Kenya Air Force aircraft and travelled to Entebbe, where he is representing Kenya at the Second Extraordinary Summit of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
He was seen off by Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya and other senior officials before boarding the aircraft.
The meeting brings together leaders and senior representatives from countries contributing troops to AUSSOM, as well as regional and international partners, to assess the mission’s progress and discuss the challenges confronting Somalia’s security sector.
The summit comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the AU mission, with its future facing fresh uncertainty following a decision by the United States to withdraw support for the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) beyond December 31, 2026.
UNSOS provides critical logistical assistance to AUSSOM, including transport, fuel, medical services and other operational support. Reuters reported that the US decision could seriously undermine the mission’s ability to operate unless alternative funding and logistical arrangements are secured.
AUSSOM succeeded the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in January 2025 and is supporting Somali security forces in their efforts to combat al-Shabaab and strengthen the country’s security institutions.
The US has argued that Somalia has made insufficient progress in taking responsibility for its own security, while the AU has warned that the withdrawal of UN-backed logistical support could pose a major challenge to the mission.
Against that backdrop, the Uganda summit is expected to focus heavily on how AUSSOM can remain operational and effective while addressing the security threats facing Somalia and the wider region.
Kindiki’s political position under scrutiny
Kindiki’s trip comes against the backdrop of renewed political speculation in Nairobi over his position within President William Ruto’s administration.
Reports published earlier this week claimed that some intergovernmental coordination functions previously associated with the Deputy President’s office had been reassigned to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
However, Kindiki dismissed the reports as “Fake News”, without providing further details.
The claims have nevertheless fuelled speculation about possible changes within government and intensified discussion over Ruto’s political strategy ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The political debate has also raised questions over whether Kindiki will retain his position as Ruto’s preferred running mate in the next election, although no formal announcement has been made indicating any change.
Despite the speculation, Kindiki has continued to undertake official government responsibilities and represent Kenya in regional engagements.
His appearance at the AUSSOM summit places him at the centre of an important regional security discussion at a time when Kenya remains closely involved in efforts to stabilise Somalia.
For Kenya, the outcome of the summit could have implications beyond Somalia, given the country’s long-standing security concerns along its border and the threat posed by al-Shabaab attacks in the region.
As African leaders gather in Uganda, the immediate challenge will be finding a sustainable way to finance and support AUSSOM after Washington’s planned withdrawal of UNSOS funding.
The summit therefore comes at a critical crossroads for the Somalia peace-support mission — with its future increasingly dependent on whether African and international partners can agree on a new funding and logistical framework.
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