Abstract:
Kenya has continually faced numerous security challenges. This study examines the principle of territorial integrity as a determinant of Kenya’s national security policy from 2002-2016. The scope covers the period from 2002-2016. This time period is significant because it is the time in which the Moi regime that lasted for 24 years came to an end, ushering the state into a new political dispensation. This study has been guided by three research questions namely; i) how has the porous nature of the Kenya-Somalia border impacted on Kenya’s security? ii) What is the impact of proliferation of small arms and criminals on Kenya’s security? iii) How has Kenya responded to the territorial threats to its borders and what were the outcomes achieved? This study used secondary data sourced from unclassified government publications, journals, media reports, published books and online sources. This study established that that the porous nature of the Kenya- Somalia border has created an influx of a large number of refugees in Kenya, leading to proliferation of small arms and weapons hence fueling crime in Kenya