The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has distanced itself from claims that officers from the Kenya Navy unit abandoned stranded Kenyan fishermen at the Indian ocean.
KDF spokesman Cornel Paul Njuguna in a statement on Friday said that investigations into the allegations, that had been raised by the fishermen who had been stranded at the ocean for 17 days, had been launched.
He, however, added that it was not possible that the Kenya Navy abandoned the fishermen and denied them any form of help as it was being claimed.
The KDF spokesperson added that the Kenyan military has been built on good virtues of humanity.
"It is surprising if officers from the Kenya Navy can ignore a plea to rescue those who were stranded at the ocean as it has been reported (Ni jambo la kushangaza iwapo maafisa wa jeshi la wanamaji wanaweza kupuuza ombi la kuokoa waliokwama baharini kama ilvyoripotiwa)," Njuguna said in a statement.
"It is important to establish the truth and publicize it so that we can stop the allegations that do not have a foundation against KDF (Itakuwa jambo la muhimu kupata ukweli wa mambo kuhusu madai yaliyotolewa ili kuweka wazi ukweli na kusitisha madai ambayo hayana msingi dhidi ya KDF)," he added.