Kenya’s non-NATO-ally status under threat as U.S. launches security review

The United States has launched a sweeping reassessment of Kenya’s Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status, raising alarm over President William Ruto’s growing ties with China, Russia, Iran, and links to extremist groups.
Granted in June 2024, Kenya’s MNNA designation made it the first sub-Saharan African country to join an exclusive list of U.S. defense partners. But concerns over Nairobi’s geopolitical direction have prompted Congress to mandate a full classified review, led by the State Department, due within 180 days. At the center of the probe are Kenya’s alignment with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, military engagements with Russia and Iran, and President Ruto’s declaration that China and Kenya are “co-architects of a new world order.”
U.S. legislators also seek clarity on alleged misuse of American security intelligence in civilian abductions and torture, as well as potential financial safe haven activities for sanctioned individuals from Sudan, South Sudan, and Somalia. Kenya’s controversial hosting of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed “Hemedti” Daglo has deepened mistrust in Washington. But the proposal also, for example, highlights Kenya’s role in the abduction, in October 2024, of seven Turkish nationals who were seized by Turkish intelligence in Nairobi after criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Stripping Kenya of MNNA status would jeopardize its access to U.S. defense equipment, training, and joint operations, including the Kenya-led mission in Haiti. The review signals a diplomatic turning point, as U.S. policymakers weigh whether Kenya remains a reliable strategic partner — or a growing liability in East Africa’s volatile landscape.