The Government has demanded that Al Shabaab militant group renounces violence as a condition for any negotiations to bring peace in Somalia.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Minister Richard Onyonka said on Thursday the Government was aware of the presence of Al Shabaab members in Kenya.

"The truth is Al Shabaab is frequently and constantly in touch with the Kenyan Government. The Government position has always been we are frequently engaged with all the stakeholders of crisis in Somalia. Our position has always been we must use both military, if need be and consistently diplomatic channels to try and negotiate and discuss," Onyonka told journalists at a news conference at Parliament Buildings on Monday.

However, earlier Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua had denied Government plans to negotiate with the militant group, saying he was not aware of any such plans and that Kenya does not negotiate with criminals.

"There have been no indications whatsoever, and Kenya does not negotiate with criminal organisations like Al Shabaab," said Dr Mutua.

Onyonka said discussions taking place were not based on whether Kenya military will be staying in Kismayu or Somalia but on achieving peace and security in that country.

President’s blessings

He said the military operation has the blessings of President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed of Somalia.

"We have supported him and his Government. Amison troops are being killed in Mogadishu, he asked us to send the troops there. We delivered them. We have been defending and protecting him hoping he meant what he said," said Onyonka.

Reports indicated the militia leaders were reaching out for possible negotiations two weeks after Kenyan troops stormed into Somalia to hunt for Al Shabaab, which Kenya blames for recent kidnappings of foreign aid workers in Dadaab refugee camp.

The militia is also accused of having kidnapped two British tourists from Kenyan coast in the past month.

Mutua said Al Shabaab has not contacted Kenya and that they would not talk to the gang even if they wanted.

Kenya declared self-defence justifies crossing the border with Somalia, saying a recent spate of kidnappings threatened its security and constituted an attack.

President Ahmed thanked Kenya on Wednesday for helping battle the extremist group two days after he accused the nation of overstepping its boundaries.

Mutua was speaking in Nairobi where he said Al Shabaab presents a clear and present danger to the security of the world and the East Africa region in particular.

He said African Union and Inter-governmental Authority on Development have sanctioned an intervention to rout out the terror organisation to provide peace in the region and to help the Somalia Government establish its authority.

Dismissed remarks

"The Government’s objective is to pursue and curtail the operations of Al Shabaab, which has become a threat to our security and economy," said Mutua.

But Onyonka dismissed Mutua’s remarks, saying it was the policy of the AU and Igad to engage all sides involved in the conflict.

He said the military would withdraw if Al Shabaab renounced violence.

The Kenyan troops, he added, are fighting alongside those of the Transitional Federal Government of Somali and the strategy is to destroy Al Shabaab’s network within the shortest time possible.

"We have looked at the statements made by Ahmed. He does not want our troops to occupy a part of Somalia, and that is not our intentions at all. It has never been," said Mutua.