Uhuru's United Kingdom visit earns Kenya big defence deal

President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) at Mansion House, the Official Residence of the Lord Mayor of London, where he attended the Kenya-UK Investment Forum on July 27, 2021. [Courtesy]

Kenya and the United Kingdom (UK) have signed a five-year Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) to tackle shared threats across East Africa. The agreement was signed at a side event during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s three-day Guest of Government visit to the UK.

Once ratified by respective parliaments, support to Kenya will include Sh1.165 billion annual UK investment in defence, 1,100 Kenyan soldiers trained yearly in readiness for deployment to Somalia, Kenyan Navy trained on maritime security, safety and firefighting, assured visits, professional training and exchange of experience and expertise, Sh28 million worth community projects on sanitation, health, education and tackling gender-based violence. British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk) will also hire 550 local civilians, a move that has contributed Sh5.8 billion to the local economy since 2016.