NAIROBI, Kenya– Kenya’s Ministry of Defence has launched a high-level training programme aimed at equipping law enforcement agencies with the tools to detect and dismantle terror financing networks and curb money laundering.
The five-day capacity-building initiative—rolled out in partnership with the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), a 42-nation alliance headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—comes amid growing regional concern over illicit financial flows fuelling extremist groups.
Speaking at the launch on Tuesday, Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya warned that terrorism financing continues to threaten peace, security, and economic progress in East Africa.
“Terrorist financing fuels recruitment, planning, logistics and operations. Without addressing the financial lifelines that sustain these networks, our broader counter-terrorism efforts risk being undermined,” said Tuya.
She described the partnership with IMCTC as a strategic move aligned with Kenya’s broader efforts to choke off funding for terror-linked groups and crack down on transnational money laundering.
Participants in the training include officials from financial institutions, security agencies, the judiciary, and investigative bodies.
The goal is to sharpen their ability to detect suspicious transactions, share intelligence, and dismantle financial networks linked to violent extremism.
IMCTC Secretary General Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi, who is in Nairobi for the launch, said Kenya’s geographical and political standing makes it a vital partner in the fight against terrorism across the Horn of Africa and Sahel regions.
“Kenya is uniquely positioned to galvanise regional cooperation by aligning policy, legislation, and enforcement mechanisms,” he noted, adding that international collaboration remains key to freezing the assets of terrorist organizations destabilising parts of Africa.
The programme underscores a shifting focus in Kenya’s counter-terrorism strategy—from battlefield engagements to financial disruption—and highlights the growing role of cross-border alliances in addressing complex security challenges.
