Thread by @alaminkimathi

Mercenaries have been hired to exploit Kenya's natural resources (wildlife, oil and minerals) for economic gain. The reasons go back many years, but there is one recent salient element that reflects all.
(DM)
THREAD.
#NRTLetOurPeopleGO
#TheBigWhiteLie
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During 2003, against the backdrop of the turmoil and scandal within the Kenyan Wildlife Services (KWS), secret and private conversations were being held on how to manipulate this turmoil to take control of Kenya's natural resources (wildlife and minerals) for economic gain.(DM)

The major protagonists at these shadowy and clandestine meetings were Ian Craig of Kenya's Lewa Conservancy and David Walker - owner and director of the world's most notorious mercenary organisation Saladin Security.
#TheBigWhiteLie
#NRTLetOurPeopleGo

At the periphery of these meetings were the British High Commissioner and members of Britain's Lords of Parliament. They agreed to form the Northern Rangelands Trust (#NRT). The overall objective would be to take control of Kenya's natural resources (wildlife and minerals).(DM)

This was for economic gain. Saladin Security was previously known as Keenie Meenie Services, also known as KMS Ltd, a private military corporation set up by Kenyan David Walker, an ex-SAS officer, in the 1970s. (DM)

The name (Saladin) has been claimed to be Swahili for the movement of a snake through the grass, or Arabic for covert operation. The name Keenie Meenie has also been attributed to an SAS slang term for special operations in the Kenyan Mau Mau era. (DM)
#TheBigWhiteLie

Formed in 1974 as a subsidiary of Control Risks by a former SAS officer, Major David Walker, its brief was to win government contracts for security work. In 1977 Walker staged a management buyout and took control. (DM)
#TheBigWhiteLie
#NRTLetOurPeopleGo

He was joined by Colonel James Johnson who had managed the Yemen operation for David Stirling and the company base was moved to Jersey.
Walker, a former captain in the Special Air Services, registered the company for tax evasion in Jersey as "Executive International." (DM)

This was done to hide the identities of fellow board members Col. James "Jim" Johnson (who went on to become a broker for Lloyds of London), Brig. Mike Wingate Gray and John Martin Southern of the Blackwall Green, Ltd. insurance firm. (DM)
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KMS's (Saladin) first major contract was training the Sultan of Oman's special forces. In 1984,KMS was approved by Margaret Thatcher's British government to train the Special Task Force arm of the Sri Lankan military against the Tamil rebels.
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#NRTLetOurPeopleGo

The STF was widely reported to have been committing atrocities against the Tamil population and by1987 KMS had moved their two hundred personnel to South America. The British press reported the Sri Lankan troops were out of control and the KMS employees were quitting their jobs.

In 1987 during the Iran-Contra investigations,KMS carried out sabotage operations in Nicaragua that included mining the Managua harbour and destroying enemy camps,buildings and pipelines. In 1987 Saladin Security was involved in the dirty war in Afghanistan.(DM)
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Together with Defence Systems Limited, Saladin Security managed training programs in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Oman. (DM)
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#NRTLetOurPeopleGo

After the clandestine meetings between Lewa's Ian Craig and David Walker of Saladin the latter (Walker) was appointed director and head of security/fundraising of Lewa Conservancy in September 2004. A few months later Ian Craig of Lewa Conservancy formed #NRT.
#TheBigWhiteLie

Since then,together with the advice from Saladin,Northern Rangelands Trust #NRT has formed 35 member conservancies and taken control of 4.5 million hectares of northern and coastal Kenya with support from principal donors USAID,The Nature Conservancy (TNC),DANIDA and AFD.

NRT with guidance from Saladin claim to be supporting and empowering communities to develop locally-led governance structures, run peace and security programmes, take the lead in natural resource management, and manage sustainable businesses linked to conservation.
(DM)

One of their objectives was to take control of the oilfields of Turkana. When #NRT failed to gain access to Turkana they coerced Tullow Oil to donate $11 million to get inroads to manage the security in the region so that Tullow Oil could continue with its exploration. (DM)

That backfired when the Turkana Governor (backed by the County Assembly) rejected the #NRT approach and objective. Now Saladin and their partner African Camp Solutions are trying a different approach to control security, risks and access to oil in Turkana.
#NRTLetOurPeopleGo

They are using African Camp Solutions (ACS) to establish a conservancy in Turkana as part of Tullow Oil's social investment programme. Saladin and Control Risks (set up by David Walker) are employed as Tullow's security in the area. (DM)
#NRTLetOurPeopleGo
#TheBigWhiteLie

Note: Saladin Security are close and financial partners with #NRT, Sirikoi Conservancy, Lewa and Tropic Air in Kenya. Saladin Security also operate in Somalia and the owner's son Daniel Henry Walker owns Somalia Fishguard - a British company headed by mercenaries. (DM)

Somalia Fishguard has a fifteen year licence to control all of the fishing and concessions off the coast of Somalia; a rotten business. Saladin's objective is to provide highly professional security services for governments, NGOs, corporations and prominent individuals. (DM)

Saladin offers security services to heads of government in Africa. The stated mission of the Saladin Group is to safeguard its clients, their assets, property and information. [This is the group behind Ian Craig and the NRT].
#TheBigWhiteLie
#NRTLetOurPeopleGo .

In order to achieve this mission. Saladin Security provides services across the security spectrum and operates in all parts of the world.This (mercenary) Group, [that's arguably the backbone of the Northern Rangelands Trust] is headquartered in London. (DM)
#TheBigWhiteLie

Saladin Security, David Walker and his son Daniel Henry Walker operate in Kenya as we speak. They've formed alliances with many organisations like #NRT, Sirikoi,Lewa,Africa Camp Solutions,Total,Tullow Oil, Africa Oil to name a few. They're the snakes in the grass.
#TheBigWhiteLie