Fred Oluoch, Special Correspondent
But at the same time, the Kenya government would prefer to keep the Islamic Courts at arm's length for the moment, at least diplomatically.
While top government officials maintain that Kenya is on a diplomatic offensive to help the TFG function and put the Somalia question on the world agenda, sources say Kenya's previously unwavering support for the interim government is being reviewed in the light of unfolding events in Somalia.
They cite last week's incident in which Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Gedi failed to meet Kenya's Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Moses Wetang'ula, after waiting for some time at the Foreign Affairs office.
Those conversant with diplomatic protocol interpreted the incident as a snub, but Mr Wetang'ula maintained that the media was reading too much into the incident.
He explained that Mr Gedi, having requested an urgent meeting, had to be fitted in between other appointments, but when his meeting with the Italian ambassador took too long, Mr Gedi rushed off to honour a scheduled appointment with the African Union ambassadors.
"We have demonstrated goodwill toward the TFG and the Islamic courts by flushing out the warlords and banning others from entering Kenya. We have midwifed the peace process and helped translocate the interim government. What more can we do other than to engage in a diplomatic offensive to clear the bottlenecks that have impeded the performance of the TFG?" he asked.
Besides the question as to whether Kenya still believes in the relevance of TFG, the country seems to have executed a climbdown on the burning issue of the deployment of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) peacekeepers to Somalia, after its previous stand raised diplomatic tensions.
Initially, Kenya, through Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju, was categorical that the only solution to the Somali problem was to send in Igad peacekeepers, even without the consent of the Union of Islamic Courts.
This position, in the eyes of the Islamic Courts, portrayed Kenya as having closed ranks with Ethiopia, which has been campaigning for the deployment of Igad troops. This threatened to rob Kenya of its image as an honest and trusted broker of the Somali peace process.
Of late, Kenya seems to be backtracking on the issue of the deployment of Igad troops, even as it maintains its support for TFG as the internationally recognised authority.
While addressing the UN General Assembly last Tuesday, Mr Tuju appealed for humanitarian intervention as opposed to military intervention, while at the same time coming up with a new proposal for the formation of a joint committee comprising neighbouring countries, the African Union, the Arab League, the European Union and prominent members of the Security Council.
Mr Wetang'ula last week clarified that Kenya still believes that the deployment of Igad troops is necessary, but only with the concurrence of concerned parties, otherwise they stand the risk of being seen as invaders.
But what created suspicion between the Kenya government and the Islamic Courts was the visit to Kenya early September by Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi for talks with President Mwai Kibaki over the deployment of Igad troops in Somalia.
It gave the impression - in the eyes of the Islamic Courts - that Kenya had been won over by Ethiopia into agreeing to the deployment of Igad troops in Somalia without consultations with the Islamic Courts. Consequently, the Islamic Courts were conspicuously absent from the September 5 Igad meeting that resolved to send troops to Somalia, despite the fact the chairman of the Courts, Sheikh Shariif Ahmed, was in the country.
But last week, Mr Wetang'ula defended the Kibaki/Meles consultations, arguing that, apart from the Somali issue, Kenya and Ethiopia have many bilateral issues to settle.
As Mr Wetang'ula put it, "Of course, the Somalia issue had to come up given that President Kibaki is the current chairman of Igad, and both Ethiopia and Kenya have their concerns as the frontline states. As a demonstration that Kenya has not abandoned its neutrality, we have offered not to send Kenyan troops to Somalia as per the earlier mutual agreement that frontline states should keep out of the force."
The tricky issue currently is whether Kenya has fully recognised the Islamic Courts as the central players in the resolution of the Somali question.
Mr Wetang'ula made it clear that Kenya, Igad and the TFG are worried about the unfolding scenario of territorial expansion, which could easily precipitate other unilateral actions to protect the TFG - a tacit reference to unconfirmed reports that Ethiopian troops have entered Baidoa.
According to the chairman of the Ford-People party, Farah Maalim Mohammed, the Islamic Courts have bent over backwards to assure Kenyans that they have no territorial design on Kenya, and that they admire Kenya's democracy and social order.
Source: The East Africa, Oct. 2, 2006