The government has assured Kenyan citizens on the safety of the country’s airspace.
Defence Cabinet Secretary Dr Monica Juma said this had been made possible by the fact that Kenya is one of the very few countries of the world that have a space programme.
Speaking to journalists at a Malindi hotel during a tour of military installation and the San Marco Space Centre in Ngomeni, Magarini Sub County, Amb Juma said the air space was becoming an important part in the development enterprise of Kenya and the entire humanity.
“My message to Kenyans is that as a country, we are one of the very few countries that have a space programme and this is because the space is becoming an important part of the development enterprise of not just Kenya but the entire humanity,” the CS said.
Amb Juma described the space centre at Ngomeni as a very important asset that is assisting and supporting the space missions of the world, adding that the station had made Kenya to be one of the most respected countries in the provision of leadership in space matters.
“This centre is very important in terms of building our competencies as a space nation and this seats with the Ministry of Defence,” she said adding, “We are part of the countries that are most respected for providing global leadership in this and other areas including space and security.”
She said Kenya was elated that she would soon assume its seat at the UN Security Council adding that this respect had been earned due to the space programme the country had put in place.
“You know that we are assuming our seat in the UN security Council in a short while from 2021 to 2022 and this region. The Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean realm are some of the key areas so we are here. The country is secure,” she said.
She told Kenyans to cooperate and flatten the Covid-19 infection curve, saying the global pandemic was the biggest issue that requires concerted efforts to defeat.
“The big issue now is Covid-19 and I call upon everyone in our territory to take the measures that are necessary. This is something we can beat, it just requires following through the protocols that are being advised of us by the Ministry of Health,” she said.
She said all Kenyans are capable of receding the threat of Covid-10 by changing their behaviour and adhering to public health practices of washing hands, with soap, sanitising, wearing face masks in public areas, and keeping social distancing.
“As you have seen, we are able to get to a stable plateau; and we need to recede the threat of covid by changing our behaviour and adhering to public health practices of washing your hands, sanitizing, wearing masks in public areas and keeping your social distancing,” she said.
The CS was accompanied senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, among them the Director General of the Kenya Space Agency, General Thomas Chepkuto among others.
By Emmanuel Masha
