Revealed: Kenya’s hand in supplying arms to Sudan’s RSF

By Newsflash Reporter

A six-month investigation by the Daily Nation newspaper has revealed how Kenya has been used as a conduit for supplying weapons of war to Sudan’s rebel group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

On May 31, President William Ruto delivered a stark warning that Sudan’s civil war was sliding into a horrific disaster. “There are two generals who do not value human life.

The war in Sudan is headed toward mass slaughter. It is already a humanitarian catastrophe,” Ruto said during a media address at State House, Nairobi, alongside Slovenia’s President Nataša Pirc Musar. He also cited other regional conflicts and highlighted Kenya’s involvement in mediation initiatives.

At the height of fighting for Khartoum in 2023, Kenya was at the forefront of diplomatic efforts. President Ruto had been appointed chair of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) Quartet on Sudan and met with General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan—head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council—at State House in November 2023. Two months later, in January 2024, he hosted Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in a closed-door meeting.

After the talks, Ruto said he appreciated the RSF’s commitment to peace. But in stark contrast, that same month, the United States sanctioned Hemedti for alleged genocide, ethnic cleansing, and blocking humanitarian aid.

Now, after a six-month joint investigation, serious questions have emerged over Kenya’s role—not as a neutral peace broker, but potentially as a supplier of arms to the RSF.

Weapons cache found with Kenyan markings

A video posted on X on May 23 by Sudanese Army supporters shows soldiers in a weapons storehouse previously held by RSF fighters. Inside, piles of green boxes and wooden crates are visible—some marked with the word “Kenya.” The footage shows Sudanese troops celebrating the find and questioning how such a vast quantity of arms was abandoned.

The video aligns with reports of SAF offensives in Omdurman, part of Khartoum State, around that time. In a May 20 statement, General al-Burhan declared the capital region—comprising Khartoum, Omdurman, and Khartoum North—cleared of RSF forces. Salha, an Omdurman suburb and key RSF base, was reportedly the last RSF stronghold there.

Further video analysis indicates the ammunition was stored in a basement—consistent with lighting and building structure also shown in reports by Russia Today Arabic. Identifiable individuals in the footage further verify the location.

Soldiers help verify location

In the footage, two SAF soldiers are seen inspecting the arms cache. One, bald and wearing prayer beads, matches another video shot nearby in Salha. Based on his uniform insignia, name badge in Arabic, and rank, he was identified as Major Al-Makki Abdul Quddus Ahmed of the Sudanese General Intelligence Service. The second soldier, wearing a distinct T-shirt and a Sudanese flag patch, was located just 150 metres away in related footage and later identified on Facebook as Ez-Aldeen Kamal.

Both men posted from the Salha area shortly after SAF recaptured it, strongly suggesting the videos’ authenticity. Although the depot’s precise coordinates remain unclear, visual evidence supports its location in Salha, Omdurman.

Crates from earlier SAF social media posts in March bear labels that match those seen in the Salha cache, including batch, contract, and case numbers. One key marking reads: “CONTRACT NO.23PTI / KEMOD-01 / KENYA,” suggesting the crates were supplied under contract to the Kenyan Ministry of Defence.

A munitions expert from the UK-based Conflict Armament Research reviewed the images and concluded that while the exact manufacturer is not identified, the crate design and markings resemble those from Russian, Eastern European, Chinese, or North Korean arms producers. He also noted that the ammo type—14.5 x 114 MM API cartridges—is non-NATO, rarely produced in the West.

Read more: Sudan protests to Kenya over Ruto-RSF link

Labelled lot numbers such as 001-24, 002-24, and 005-24 indicate that these shipments likely occurred in 2024—during the war.

One video from Salha shows open crates containing green cartridges with black-tipped bullets, consistent with the 14.5mm ammo described. Additional green boxes seen in the footage were marked “82mm HE Mortar Bomb Type PP87,” which the arms expert identified as explosive mortars. These also carried the label “AMI/KEN/099/2023,” hinting at a 2023 supply contract to Kenyan authorities.

According to Human Rights Watch, the RSF has been using similar Chinese-made mortars in recent months.

Airports used as transit points

A January 2024 UN Security Council report flagged Kenyan airports as likely transit points in RSF’s weapons supply chain. The report cited routes through Chad from Abu Dhabi, with stops in countries like Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

Investigators reviewed flight paths and tracked one cargo plane—a Soviet-designed Ilyushin Il-76—spotted at Moi International Airport in Mombasa on March 16, as posted by a TikTok user.

Satellite images confirmed its presence the next day. While the plane’s cargo remains unknown, the model has a known history of arms smuggling, including in Libya.

On May 3, another cargo plane—reportedly flying weapons to RSF—was bombed by SAF in Nyala. Kenyan pilot Michael George Oluoch Nyamodi was said to be flying it.

Diplomatic fallout

Conflict researcher Justin Lynch of Conflict Insights Group argues that the Kenyan-labeled crates offer evidence of Kenya’s logistical support to RSF. He linked the support to the UAE’s influence, noting that a February 18 RSF meeting at KICC in Nairobi was followed by a $1.5 billion UAE loan and a spike in suspected arms shipments via Kenya.

At the KICC event, RSF deputy leader Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo—Hemedti’s brother—held a summit with allies, forming what they described as a transitional Sudanese government. The move was condemned by Sudan’s military, which accused Kenya of abetting a rival regime.

Read more: Tensions rise as Kenya plans second RSF meeting

Kenya’s Foreign Ministry, through Mudavadi, dismissed the allegations. “Hosting the forum in Nairobi doesn’t mean we endorse its outcome or support an exile government,” he said. Sudan responded by banning Kenyan tea imports and recalling its envoy.

The UN and US have warned that supporting RSF—whether diplomatically or militarily—undermines peace efforts and violates arms embargoes. Washington hinted at sanctions or aid withdrawal. On March 5, the State Department said the RSF’s claim to a transitional constitution would only worsen the conflict.

The African Union echoed similar concerns, warning that Kenya’s alleged RSF ties could sabotage mediation efforts and derail continental peace strategies.

Kenya responds to allegations

The newspaper contacted Kenya’s Defence Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi, and the Kenya Airports Authority for comment. Only the Defence Ministry replied by June 12, requesting the photo evidence. After reviewing it, the ministry issued a denial.

“We don’t recognize the crates or markings,” the statement said, adding that all Kenya Ordnance Factory supplies are audited and logged. However, the ministry did not respond directly to the labeled contract numbers visible on the crates.

“The Ministry of Defence distances itself from the allegations and affirms its commitment to lawful operations,” the statement concluded.

The other agencies had not replied by press time. Once hailed as a regional peacemaker, Kenya now risks being viewed as a participant in a brutal war—with serious diplomatic consequences.