Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki Wednesday unveiled new equipment to be used in the fight against crime and in particular terrorism and banditry.
He said it is part of the government’s ambitious plan to modernise security equipment over the next five years at a cost of Sh37 billion.
Kindiki said the government remains focused on complete suppression and neutralisation of terrorism, banditry, livestock rustling and other organised criminal activities as the sure way of turning around our National Security and putting Kenya on a firm path to equitable development and shared prosperity.
He said equipment and kitting of frontline officers currently deployed in Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in North Eastern Region, the Boni Enclave, Upper Eastern Region, and North Rift Valley remains a key deliverable priority for the Kenya Kwanza Administration.
Kindiki said the government has in the last six months invested Sh7.6 billion and will spend another Sh29.4 billion in the next three years under the Police Equipment Modernisation (PEM) programme to acquire sophisticated protected and mobility equipments.
They include Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), Armoured Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), drones, gunship helicopters, Mine Sweepers and Personal Protection Equipment which will support the sacrificial and patriotic work of our frontline officers.
“We must neutralise and dominate the enemy from all angles and ensure that our country is safe and our people are able to work, live, and invest in peace and without any fear,” Kindiki said.
Kindiki commissioned and dispatched the first batch of equipment to support Operation Maliza Uhalifu in North Rift Valley which will be extended to cover The Northern Grazing Area of Meru County, Isiolo and Marsabit Counties and counter-terrorism efforts in North Eastern Region and the Boni Enclave in Lamu County.
The event took place at the General Service Unit headquarters in Nairobi.
Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo (Internal Security and National Administration), Inspector General of the National Police Service (NPS) Japhet Koome, Deputy Inspector-General Douglas Kanja (Kenya Police Service), Deputy Inspector-General Noor Gabow (Administration Police Service), Director of Criminal Investigations(DCI) Mohamed Amin, General Service Unit (GSU) Commandant Eliud Lagat and other top ranks within the National Police Service were present.
Kindiki said the government is constantly reviewing covert and overt interventions to support the war on terror and other threats to national security.
Lack of equipment has been a major hindrance in the war against bandits who have killed and maimed many in the north rift.
Bandits have been attacking and stealing animals in the region with impunity.
On terrorism, officials said the trend is now slowing down safe for some areas.
Global Terrorism Index 2024 shows Kenya’s impact of terrorism decreased from high in 2022 to medium in 2023.
This is attributed to ongoing Multi-Agency Security Operations against al Shabaab in Lamu and Northeastern Region, which resulted to killing of terrorists, destroying Al-Shabaab makeshift camps and successful arrest/prosecution of terrorists.
The report by the Institute for Economics and Peace appreciates Kenya’s efforts in fighting al Shabaab in the country as well as offering an helping hand to Somalia, where the terrorist group is domiciled.
Terrorism deaths attributed to the Somalia-based group fell from 800 in 2022 to 499 in 2023, a decline of almost 38 per cent.
Of these deaths, 86 per cent occurred inside Somalia and the remaining 14 per cent in Kenya.
Al Shabaab was responsible for 70 deaths in Kenya in 2023, the most since 2019.
This is according to the Global Terrorism Index 2024, which shows the impact of terrorism in Kenya decreased from high in 2022 to medium in 2023.
The report authored by the Sidney-based Institute for Economics and Peace says Kenya scored 5.616 in the index.
The report says, terrorism deaths attributed to al Shabaab increased from 58 to 70 in 2023.
Most of the deaths occurred in Lamu close to the Somali border, which recorded 26 deaths in 2023, ten more than the year prior.
“This was followed by Garissa and Mandera counties, which collectively recorded 37 deaths,” the index report says.
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