Tackling Terrorism in Africa: US Remote Interventionism and the Fight against Al-Qaeda and Al-Shabaab in Kenya

In the last two decades, the US has provided African governments with increasing assistance to fight terrorism. Kenya has been a major recipient of US support. Drawing on research on remote warfare and the principal-agent theory, this article explores the effects of US security policies in the country. It shows how the remote form of intervention adopted by the US against terrorism in Africa has increased the vulnerability of US policies to the interests and perceptions of local actors. In Kenya, such dynamics have favoured the abuse of US assistance for the implementation of repressive measures against suspect groups.

Automated summary

This article examines the effects of US security policies in Kenya, a major recipient of US support in Africa. Drawing on research on remote warfare and the principal-agent theory, it demonstrates how the chosen form of remote intervention has made US policies vulnerable to the interests and perceptions of local actors. These dynamics in Kenya have resulted in the abuse of US assistance for repressive measures against suspected groups.