Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof Kithure Kindiki has affirmed the government’s commitment to secure the country from internal and external aggression through the modernization of Police equipment.
Today, CS Kindiki flagged off ten state-of-the-art Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) at the Port of Mombasa that will bolster operations in the Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) to tackle terrorism, banditry and organized crimes.
CS Kindiki said the government is on course to implement a five-year police equipment modernization program that began last year. It will cost a whooping Sh37B. Already, Sh7B have been used to purchase equipment.
“The government intends to protect officers who are on the frontline to protect them from harm and provide mobility to them. Some of the areas where our officers are working are difficult terrain areas which cannot be accessed using the ordinary vehicle equipment that we have,” said the CS.
“Today, we are receiving ten of a higher capacity version of the APCS. We have also received under one year other forms of equipment other than the motor vehicles including arms and ammunition,” he added.
The government is expecting to receive personal protective equipment, and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) which are “armored, do not require personnel, they can do surveillance and also attack when a command has been given remotely”
CS Kindiki expressed his gratification on the arrival of the APCs as it will boost the morale of Officers on the frontline who are committed to defending the country.
“They are willing to do whatever it takes to make our country safe but they have always reminded us, to make it a little easier for them. So that they can inflict maximum pain on the people who are running criminal enterprises in our country in the form of terror groups, bandits and other organized criminals,” said CS Kindiki.
The CS divulged that the government has placed enough orders and a schedule is in place for the receipt of other equipment.
“In the short term, we are going to have active and revitalized air assets equipment. The facilitation of our officers in the frontline is getting towards completion if not towards perfection,” he stated.
He further revealed that the Ministry of Interior is on the tail end to complete the assembling of sophisticated air assets which will be deployed to support the existing equipment.
“This administration is committed to securing our homeland. We want our country to be free and safe. We want every part of Kenya to feel that they are in a safe country. The government will spend whatever amount of resources that is required to make sure we secure our homeland,” he said,
The only way to show gratitude to Police Officers, he noted is to invest part of the country’s taxes to make sure they are safe as they protect Kenyans, and have equipment and facilities to neutralize the threat that confronts the country.
The CS reiterated the state’s commitment to deal with criminals regardless of nationality. Criminals in Northern Kenya, Boni enclave, and bandits that are making life unbearable to many residents were put on notice.
“We cannot make progress until the country first is safe. When the country is safe local and foreign investors will feel comfortable to put their money in businesses, enterprises, factories that generate jobs for our people and we can now talk about economic development and growth,” he stated.
The CS said the country has lost officers in the Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) engaging in the fight against serious crimes. He assured officers serving in FOBs that they would be protected and facilitated.
“Increasingly, he stated, “it will become difficult for a criminal to be able to get at an officer wearing the uniforms of our country. That is our commitment.”
By Sadik Hassan
