U.S. Senator Jim Risch has introduced an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), seeking a comprehensive review of Kenya’s designation as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA).
Granted on June 24, 2024, by the Biden administration, the status marked a historic milestone, making Kenya the first Sub-Saharan African country to receive such recognition.
The proposed amendment, labeled SA 3628, was officially tabled in the Senate and, if passed, would require the Secretary of State working in coordination with the Secretaries of Defense and Treasury and the Director of National Intelligence to assess Kenya’s political, military, and economic engagements, especially with U.S. adversaries such as China, Russia, and Iran.
The amendment mandates that a formal review of Kenya’s MNNA status begin within 90 days of the NDAA’s enactment, with a classified report submitted to Congress within 180 days.
The report would cover multiple areas of concern, including Kenya’s contributions to U.S. efforts in countering violent extremism, peacekeeping missions in Sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti, and broader economic cooperation.
It also calls for a detailed examination of Kenya’s security and financial ties with China, Russia, and Iran specifically regarding the Belt and Road Initiative, debt obligations, and joint military activities.
The amendment further seeks insight into Kenya’s potential links with non-state armed groups like al-Shabaab and Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, as well as its role, if any, as a financial haven for sanctioned individuals and organizations, particularly from neighboring states such as Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda.
Lastly, the amendment calls for an assessment of how Kenya uses U.S. security assistance and intelligence support, including whether such aid is connected to human rights violations, such as abductions, torture, or violence against civilians.
The classified findings would be submitted to key congressional committees in both the Senate and the House, including those overseeing foreign relations, armed services, and intelligence.
While Kenya’s MNNA status was widely seen as recognition of its growing role in regional stability and its commitment to a U.S.-backed peacekeeping mission in Haiti, the proposed review signals growing concerns among some U.S. lawmakers about Nairobi’s evolving geopolitical alignments especially its deepening economic ties with China.
Should the amendment be adopted, the outcome of the review could lead to new conditions or even restrictions on the U.S.-Kenya defense partnership.
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