By MARGARET ASINO

Despite claims to the contary, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the United States (US) intends to use Kenya, and particularly the Kenyan coast as its base as it launches an attack against the neighbouring Somalia.
Some 3,000 US military personnel from the Marine Corps and the US Navy have been strategically deployed across the Somalia border, in the remote Kenyan islands of Pate and Manda, increasing fears that the first phase of the US war against terrorism in Africa, is in the offing.
Another 1,400 British soldiers and 600 German troops who arrived in heavy artillery warships late last year, are docked in the nearby coastal towns of Malindi and Lamu, in what officials describe as an opportunity 'to allow their troops who have been at sea for more than six months, to relax'.
Fear is however rife amongst local residents and their counterparts across the Somali border who are observing the marines -who have been joined by atleast 250 Kenyan soldiers including those from the 15th Kenyan Rifles and engineering support- with foreboding.
The US Embassy in Nairobi and the Kenyan Government are quick to dismiss these fears, insisting that the presence of the marine corps and the heavy artillery planes in the area, is merely to provide logistical support for joint military exercises with Kenya.
Despite these assertations, mystery shrouds the entire exercise, dubbed 'Edged Mallet' which began early this month and is expected to end on February 24. This is the largest operation ever seen in the area which is situated directly opposite Somalia.
Kenya's highest-ranking army boss, Chief of General staff, General Joseph Kibwana who launched the exercise and both the US Ambassador to Kenya Mr Johnnie Carson and the US Counsellor of Public Affairs, Mr Thomas Hart have jointly denied claims that the American troops were gearing themselves for an invasion of Somalia.They stress that Edged Mallet is a peaceful exercise orchestrated to perform such mundane humanitarian tasks like building schools and health centres."It is restricted to tactical training and infantry skills development", said General Kibwana.
Last week, both Messrs Carson and Hart insisted that the ongoing exercise has no link to the September 11 attacks on America's twin towers of the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.
Mr Hart in a press statement, insisted that the presence of the troops and the ongoing activities along the Kenyan coast do not relate to the fight against terrorism.
"The current exercise had been planned since early last year and it is not a direct result of the tragic events of September 11 or the ongoing fight against terrorism," he stressed.
But sources at the coast, including the vocal Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) argue that it beats logic that the Americans arrived with six heavy artillery warships while their British allies have four. The Germans arrived in three warships and two spy jet aircraft. Another two American warships are in the waters of the Indian ocean.
However, the US Embassy in Nairobi say that there are only three US naval vessels that have arrived at the Kenyan coast. These warships, they say, include the Bonhomme Richard an amphibious assault ship that is accompanied by two support ships.
An embassy official said the aircraft, that include a Hercules transport plane and helicopters, are not used as military planes, but normally support humanitarian civil assistance activities.
A visit by a team of journalists in the company of officials of the European Union to Mogadishu last Sunday , indicates that fear is rife, with hundreds of people and their families already in flight.
Mogadishu is slowly turning into a ghost town with Somalis fleeing from the town into the deserts and neighbouring countries.
In a quest to allay fears as to the presence of the troops, US Embassy official explained that Washington had okayed nearly 1,000 Marines to be deployed ashore for a series of bilateral training maneuvers and to carry out several humanitarian projects at sites near the exercise areas.
"The troops will conduct intensive ground and air maneuvers, designed to improve the ability of the two countries' armed forces to work together," the US Embassy spokesman said.
The US military planes operate from the Kenya Airforce base at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa.
Meanwhile, local residents in the two predominantly Islamic islands -Pate and Manda are complaining about the presence of the American troops.
Reacting to claims by local residents that the army marines would cause trouble and spread the deadly HIV virus, Mr Hart, last week pointed out that the marines are routinely checked to determine their status. He added that the marines will not be given leave or allowed to make private visits for security reasons. He said the restriction will be effective from the beginning to the end of the exercise.
The official said all the personnel, including those deployed ashore and those remaining on board the support ships, will not be allowed to move freely and offered apologies that this might impact negatively on tourism.
The US military planes operate from the Kenya Airforce base at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa while a mamooth 200 m vessel, complete with a landing and taking off pad, and that carries supplies and weapons lies deep in the waters of the Indian Ocean.
Ends...