The United States is set to conduct a comprehensive review of Kenya’s designation as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA), citing growing unease over Nairobi’s deepening political, military, and economic relationships with China, Iran, and Russia.
According to a directive introduced by Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) on August 1, the U.S. Secretary of State will launch a 180-day assessment of Kenya’s MNNA status. The review will examine Kenya’s cooperation with China, including its active involvement in President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.
“Just last month, President Ruto declared that Kenya, a major non-NATO ally, and China are ‘co-architects of a new world order’. That’s not just alignment to China; it’s allegiance,” Risch said during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in May. “Relying on leaders who embrace Beijing so openly is an error. It’s time to reassess our relationship with Kenya and others who forge tight bonds with China.”
The reassessment will also scrutinize Kenya’s engagement with Iran and Russia, as well as its interactions with violent extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab and Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces. Additionally, the State Department has been tasked with investigating allegations that President William Ruto’s administration may have used U.S. security intelligence to abduct and torture civilians.
Kenya was granted MNNA status in June 2024 by former U.S. President Joe Biden, making it the first sub-Saharan African nation to hold the designation. MNNA status is reserved for countries outside NATO that maintain a strategic defense partnership with the United States, offering them access to certain military, financial, and operational privileges.
If Kenya loses its MNNA standing, it could be excluded from acquiring advanced U.S. defense technology and from participating in joint military initiatives, including the Kenya-led multinational security mission in Haiti.
The outcome of the review carries significant geopolitical weight. As a dominant power in the Horn of Africa, Kenya is pivotal to U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the region. A downgrade in relations could open strategic opportunities for China and Russia, both of which are aggressively expanding their influence across Africa.
