172. Telegram 6028 From the Embassy in Kenya to the Department of State

Ambassador Marshall reported that Kenyan President Kenyatta would soon request U.S. arms to defend against a threat from Somalia and Uganda. Marshall asked for Department guidance on a response.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 738, Country Files, Africa, Kenya. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Repeated to Addis Ababa, Dar Es Salaam, London, Moscow.

173. Telegram 160682 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Kenya

The Department instructed the Embassy to tell President Kenyatta of Congressional and fiscal restraints on U.S. ability to provide arms to Kenya, and point out that the arms build-up in the region was the responsibility of the East Bloc.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Policy Files, 1974. Confidential; Immediate; Exdis. Repeated to Addis Ababa, Dar Es Salaam, London, Moscow, Mogadiscio, Paris, and USCINCEUR. Drafted by Lt. C. Sigler of DOD/ISA, Ralph Bresler of AF/E, and Hal Horan of NSC; cleared in S/S, ACDA, EXIM, PM/SAS, AF/RA, and AF/E; approved by Blake.

174. Telegram 10618 From the Embassy in Kenya to the Department of State

Ambassador Marshall reported that Kenya had for the first time formally requested U.S. military credit or grant aid. He supported the request, citing U.S. interest in regional stability in an area of increasing Soviet and Chinese influence.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Policy Files, 1974. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Repeated to Addis Ababa, Dar Es Salaam, London, Mogadiscio, Moscow, Paris, and Tehran.

175. Telegram 24342 From the Department of State to the Embassies in Kenya and the United Kingdom

The telegram reported that the Departments of State and Defense believed that a positive response to the Kenyan arms request was in the best interests of the United States, and that a request for a presidential determination authorizing FMS credit and MAP training was being prepared.

Source: National Archives, RG 84, Nairobi Embassy Files: Lot 78 F 173, DEF 19–1 1975, Policy Plans. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Addis Ababa and Dar Es Salaam.

176. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Ford

Kissinger recommended that Ford make Kenya eligibile for military credits and guarantees, and for military grants for training. He explained that Kenya faced a threat from Soviet arms in Uganda, Somalia and Tanzania. Ford signed Presidential Determination 75–21.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Subject File, Box 15, Presidential Determinations, FY 1975 (6). Confidential. Sent for action. A notation on the memorandum reads: “The President has seen.” Ford signed Tab A, Presidential Determination 75–21, on May 20. Tabs A, B, and C are not published

177. Memorandum of Conversation

Secretary of State Kissinger, Assistant Secretary Davis, and Director Coote met with Kenyan Foreign Minister Munyua Kaiyaki to discuss U.S. military assistance for Kenya, as well as development aid. Kissinger promised to look into the status of the arms package.

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 274, Memoranda of Conversations, Chronological File. Confidential; Nodis. Drafted by Coote, cleared by Davis, approved in S. The meeting took place during the annual session of the UN General Assembly.

178. Telegram 1723 From the Embassy in Kenya to the Department of State

Ambassador Marshall reported to Sisco and Assistant Secretary Schaufele that Vice President Daniel Arap Moi had stressed the urgency of U.S. financial assistance. Marshall informed Moi of the arms package offered to a Kenyan delegation in Washington.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Policy Files, 1976. Secret; Immediate. Marshall met with Kenyatta on February 24 and informed him of the results of the Kenya Military Delegation work in Washington. (Telegram 1811 from Nairobi, February 24; ibid.)

179. Telegram 40294 From the Department of State to the U.S. Commander-in-Chief Europe

The Department reported that Under Secretary Sisco had met with a Kenyan arms delegation and expressed sympathy for Kenya’s needs. He informed the delegation that the United States had programmed $45 million in FMS credits for Kenya for fiscal years 1975–1979, pending Congressional approval.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Policy Files, 1976. Secret. Drafted by Ellen Shippy (AF/E); cleared in DOD/ISA, P, and PM/SAS; approved by Coote.

180. Telegram 2171 From the Embassy in Kenya to the Department of State

The Embassy reported Kenya’s decision to apply its entire $45 million in FMS credits to purchase a squadron of ten F–5E and two F–5F aircraft, and supported Kenya’s request for additional credit to complete financing for the aircraft purchase.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Policy Files, 1976. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to London and USCINCEUR.

181. Telegram 3976 From the Embassy in Kenya to the Secretary of State’s Delegation in transit to Africa and the Embassy in the United Kingdom

Ambassador Marshall described the Kenyan mood on the eve of Secretary of State Kissinger’s visit, noting that although officially non-aligned, Kenya was pro-Western and pro-American in practice.

Source: Department of State, Nairobi Embassy Files: Lot 79 F 186, POL-US/Kenya, 1976. Secret; Niact Immediate. Repeated Immediate to the Department and to Dar Es Salaam, Accra, Lusaka, Monrovia, Dakar, and Kinshasa. Drafted by Kamman and Mattson of the Political Section; cleared by Natirboff of the Political Section; approved by DCM Lindstrom.

182. Memorandum of Conversation

Ambassador Marshall recorded Secretary of State Kissinger’s conversation with President Kenyatta on April 25. They spoke of a Kenyatta visit to the United States, Kissinger’s trip to Africa, and U.S. military and economic aid to Kenya. Kissinger said he would try to speed up delivery of F–5Es.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Briefing Materials for VIP Visits, Box 23, Kenya. Secret. The meeting took place in the State House in Nakuru, Kenya

183. Interagency Intelligence Memorandum 76–019

An analysis of the threat to Kenya from Uganda and Somalia that concluded that although such threats were real, they would be limited by logistical problems and Kenyan counterattacks.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Africa, Box 3, Kenya. Secret; Noforn; Nocontract; Orcon. Prepared jointly by the Central Intelligence Agency, The Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. Sent to Scowcroft on May 7 by B.E. Layton, Acting National Intelligence Officer for South and Southeast Asia and Africa, Central Intelligence Agency.

184. Memorandum From Roger Harrison of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)

Harrison reviewed the tense situation between Uganda and Kenya in the aftermath of the Israeli rescue in Entebbe, Uganda. He explained that Amin’s humiliation at Entebbe and his eventual knowledge of Kenya’s role in the raid might force him to act against Kenya.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Africa, Box 7, Uganda. Secret. Israel staged its Entebbe rescue mission of hijacked Israeli citizens from Kenya.

185. Telegram 166469 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Kenya

The Department relayed an oral message from Kissinger to Kenyatta expressing satisfaction with the Entebbe rescue and offering U.S. support to Kenya.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Africa, Box 3, Kenya, State Department Telegrams from SECSTATE. Secret; Niact Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Schaufele, cleared in S/S-O, approved by Eagleburger

186. Telegram 6881 From the Embassy in Kenya to the Department of State

Ambassador Marshall reported that Kenyatta expressed gratitude for Secretary of State Kissinger’s offer of support.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Africa, Box 3, Kenya, State Department Telegrams to SECSTATE. Secret; Niact Immediate; Nodis

187. Telegram Secto 18002 From Secretary of State Kissinger to the Embassy in Kenya

Kissinger, who was in New York, informed Ambassador Marshall that State telegram 166469 inadvertently omitted the word “diplomatic” before “support in the days ahead.” Kissinger instructed Marshall not to correct the message for Kenyatta, but also not to speculate further on U.S. actions.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Africa, Box 3, Kenya, State Department Telegrams from SECSTATE. Secret; Flash; Nodis. Repeated Immediate to Washington.

188. Telegram 6885 From the Embassy in Kenya to the Department of State

Ambassador Marshall reported on meetings with President Kenyatta and Foreign Minister Koinange, concluding that Kenya would likely turn to the United States for active military support if it were threatened.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Africa, Box 3, Kenya, State Department Telegrams to SECSTATE. Secret; Niact Immediate; Nodis

189. Telegram 168649 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Kenya

Marshall was instructed to give President Kenyatta a letter from Secretary of State Kissinger suggesting that the United States send a P–3 aircraft to Nairobi and a U.S. frigate to Mombasa; and that the OAU invoke the conciliatory mechanism in the event of an imminent attack.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Policy Files, 1976. Secret; Niact Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Blake, cleared by Habib, approved by Kissinger. Ford, Kissinger, and Rumsfeld discussed the situation in Kenya and Uganda on the morning of July 8, including the possibility of sending an aircraft carrier to the Indian Ocean. Rumsfeld was “inclined not to send the carrier in.” (Memoranda of Conversation, July 8; Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 20, Ford Administration

190. Telegram 7042 From the Embassy in Kenya to the Department of State

Ambassador Marshall reported that President Kenyatta accepted the suggestion to send a P–3 aircraft to Nairobi and a frigate to Mombassa. Marshall also recommended that he suggest to Kenyatta publicizing the presence of U.S. military hardware in Kenya.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Policy Files, 1976. Secret; Flash; Exdis.

191. Telegram 169766 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Kenya

Secretary of State Kissinger instructed Ambassador Marshall to inform President Kenyatta that the United States was proceeding to position a P–3 aircraft in Nairobi and a frigate at Mombassa.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Africa, Box 3, Kenya, State Department Telegrams from SECSTATE. Secret; Niact Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Blake; cleared in DOD/J-3, DOD/ISA, and by Habib; approved by Kissinger.

192. Memorandum From Clinton E. Granger of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)

Granger indicated that the Department of Defense had assembled a list of military equipment for Kenya. He recommended against a U.S. offer to Kenya until the nature of a British airlift was clarified. Scowcroft approved the recommendation.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adivser, Presidential Country Files for Africa, Box 3, Kenya. Secret. Sent for action. Harrison concurred. Scowcroft initialed his approval and made a handwritten notation: “But can we provide quickly if the need for any specific item should arise?” The penultimate sentence of the memorandum is also highlighted with a handwritten notation by Kissinger: “Can we actually respond quickly?”

193. Telegram 173878 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Kenya

Secretary of State Kissinger instructed Ambassador Marshall to inform President Kenyatta that the United States had stationed an aircraft carrier task force in the Indian Ocean.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Policy Files, 1976. Secret; Niact Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Blake, cleared by Habib, approved by Eagleburger.

194. Briefing Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (Schaufele) to Secretary of State Kissinger

Schaufele presented background and three options, ranging from diplomatic support to direct intervention, for a U.S. response should Uganda attack Kenya.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Policy Files, 1976, P830161–1330. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Shippy (AF/E), and Scott (INR/RAF); cleared in PM, IO/UNP, and INR/RAF.

195. Memorandum of Conversation

Ambassador Marshall summarized the security and political situation in Kenya for Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Scowcroft. He explained that Kenya was a buffer among the East African states and a means of slowing Soviet penetration of the region.

Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Africa, Box 3, Kenya. Confidential. The meeting took place in Scowcroft’s office. All brackets are in the original memorandum. The letter from Kenyatta to Ford, dated September 28, is ibid.

196. Letter From President Ford to Kenyan President Kenyatta

Ford reiterated the U.S. offer for a “fly past” on Kenya’s Independence Day, December 12, and expressed his regret that President Kenyatta would not be able to visit the United States in November.

Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 94, Geopolitical File, Africa, Chronological File. No classification marking.

197. Paper for the Operations Advisory Group

[Source: National Security Council, Ford Intelligence Files, Subject Files, Kenya, 1976. Secret; Eyes Only. 14 pages not declassified.]

198. Telegram 12255 From the Embassy in Kenya to the Department of State

[Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, Nairobi, 1968–79. Secret; Niact; Immediate; Roger Channel. 2 pages not declassified.]

199. Memorandum for the Record

[Source: National Security Council, Ford Intelligence Files, 40 Committee/OAG Minutes and Approvals, 1976. Secret; Eyes Only. 5 pages not declassified.]