The British-Kenyan Cooperation in the Areas of Defense and Security – Postcolonial Perspective

Abstract

The paper aims to analyse and evaluate cooperation between the United Kingdom and Kenya in the defense and security areas in the second decade of the 21st century. The analysis is conducted in the light of the theory of postcolonialism. The research uses the method of analyzing text sources. The paper begins with an introduction synthetically describing the transition of British-Kenyan relations from colonial to postcolonial, and the main methodological assumptions of the paper. Then the theoretical assumptions of postcolonialism are presented. The next three sections include: the circumstances of cooperation in the fields of defense and security; Military cooperation to restore peace in Somalia; and The United Kingdom programs to enhance peace and security in Kenya and East Africa. The paper ends with a conclusion. The main research questions are: Was the defence and security cooperation during the recent decade a continuation of the status quo or was there something different about it? If there was something different, what caused the change? Are there prospects for strengthening the cooperation in the future? Over the past decade, the United Kingdom has strengthened cooperation with Kenya in the areas of defense and security. The actions of the British were aimed at strengthening Kenya's military potential and its ability to influence the international environment. The United Kingdom's increased involvement in Kenya was driven by internal, bilateral and international factors. Kenya also expressed its readiness to strengthen this cooperation, guided by its own interests.