Defence University will boost security studies in the country, says Uhuru

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Chief of the Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi, and other Top Military officers during the inauguration of the National Defence University -Kenya in Lanet Nakuru on August 3, 2022. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The country has continued to position itself as a leader in security studies following the commissioning of the National Defence University-Kenya (NDU-K) in Lanet, Nakuru County.

President Uhuru Kenyatta officially inaugurated the facility on Wednesday, noting that the institution will go a long way in enhancing Kenya's strategic security status and peace.

"NDU-K has joined the ranks of a few international universities mandated to offer high-quality security training and education. It strengthens Kenya's position as an education hub and a centre for security training," said President Kenyatta. Kenyatta noted that the university is aligned to offer solutions to the ever-evolving regional and global security environment.

"This marks a vital milestone. NDU-K will act as a national think tank and shall play an active role in transforming our peace and security frameworks for prosperity," he said.

The President noted that human resources are the most important factor, whose quality is instrumental in the pursuit of sustained socio-economic development.

"In the past, the focus has been on non-security-related education with a very narrow mind thinking that higher education was not relevant to the security sector. This is part of our broad reforms," he said.

He said that the facility will now churn out strategic thinkers in the security sector, adding that NDU-K is aligned with the national strategy of ensuring reforms in the education sector.

In May 2021, the University was awarded a charter by the President to confer specialized degrees and courses in the fields of defence security and strategy.

"Within the last 12 months, the NDU-K has already made commendable progress against the set targets," he said.

He added that the institution will partner with various stakeholders in developing capacity in national defence and security architecture to enrich the country's multi-agency cooperation.

"The nexus between security and prosperity comes to the fore. This university must align its programmes to the national agenda. Research and innovation are critical in battling terrorism and transnational crimes," said Uhuru.

He called on institutions of higher learning to generate new ideas describing NDU-K as a purpose-built vehicle meant to achieve strategic objectives.

General Robert Kibochi said that most of the programmes being undertaken at the new university have been taking place at Kenyatta University, The University of Nairobi and Egerton University.

The programmes include Masters of arts in Crisis Response and Disaster Management, National Security and Strategy, Intelligence, Security and Policy Studies, and Strategic Intelligence Studies.

It will also offer a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology for Defence Systems, Nursing with Military Health, Critical Care Nursing among other programmes.

Existing military education institutions will now form part of constituent colleges of the NDU-K. They include National Defence College (NDC), Joint Command and Staff College, Kenya Military Academy, Defence Forces Technical College, and Defence College of Health Sciences.