Kenya readies to welcome President Muhamamdu Buhari

Preparations are well under way in Kenya to receive Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari for a memorial in honour of Kenyan soldiers killed by militant Islamist group al-Shabab.

ABOVE and LEFT: Traditional Dancers prepare to receive Nigerian President Buhari at Eldoret International Airport #BuhariVisit 

The Kenyan presidency has tweeted these pictures of dancers waiting to welcome the Nigerian leader:

At least three African leaders are due to attend an inter-faith memorial in the Kenyan town of Eldoret for Kenyan soldiers killed by militant Islamist group al-Shabab in Somalia. 

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud will join Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta at the memorial at a barracks near Eldoret town, from where many of the soldiers came. 

The decision of Mr Buhari and Mr Mohamoud to attend is seen as a sign of solidarity with Kenya, as it finds itself under increasing threat from militants.    

Al-Shabab says it killed about 100 Kenyan soldiers in a 15 January assault on a military base in el-Ade, which is in the south-western region of Gedo.

Kenya’s military has refused to divulge casualty figures.

If the al-Shabab number is confirmed, it will be the deadliest assault on Kenyan soldiers since they crossed into Somalia in 2011. 

Kenya has about 4,000 troops in the 22,000-strong African Union force battling the militants in the neighbouring state.

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