Italian space agency hands over new police station in Ngomeni

The Italian Space Agency at Ngomeni area of Magarini subcounty in Kilifi county, has officially handed over a new ultramodern police station to the government to help in the provision of security within the area.

The authorities of the site which used to be popularly known as San Marco Space Centre (Now Luigi Broglio Malindi Space Centre), built the one-storey building consisting of the report office, cells and offices on the ground floor.

It was also fitted with CCTV cameras from outside and inside, air conditioning, modern toilets with water even in the cells for suspects and rooms to accommodate eight police officers.

Kilifi County Security Committee led by County Commissioner Josephat Biwott, County Commander Fatuma Hadi and other senior security officials officially received the new police station from Eng Munzer Jahjah the CEO of Broglio Malindi Space Centre together with Kenya Space Agency CEO Brigadier Hillary Kipkosgey.

Addressing journalists during the handing-over ceremony the Broglio Malindi Space Centre CEO said they have a strong collaboration with the Kenya space agency, adding that Kenya is a priority for space activities.

So far, he said many activities were going on such as education and training including the 15 scholarships per year where different masters had already been done.

“We are already finalising the regional centre for reservation and we are also finalising a Nairobi nod so that Nairobi space agency can have direct access to data, and as already said it is always for free,” he said.

The CEO said they are also supporting Kenya Space Agency on different international bodies, and the community not only by hiring 200 employees at the base, but also by direct impact from the centre to the community outside.

He said setting up a building for the police was a privilege and part of the continuous collaborations with the government, to ensure there is ample security in the area for the community.

The County Commissioner thanked the Italian Space Agency and Kenya Space Agency for supporting the police with the infrastructure which was important for security provision in the area.

He said the government was investing a lot in the Blue Economy sector in the Ngomeni area, that’s why the President toured Kichwa Cha Kati area to open a blue economy project about three months ago.

Biwott said the government through the Coast Development Authority, will also begin tarmacking the Ngomeni road from the Main Road in Mjanaheri to Ngomeni town.

“We want to Open Ngomeni and also our development partners for example the space agency, we want to make sure that in the next year, they have a very nice road to access,” he said.

The County Commissioner said they will post around eight police officers in Ngomeni who will be providing security services to residents.

Kipkosgey said the agency was in collaboration with the Italian space agency over the exploration and exploitation of space technologies and services for socio-economic development.

He said the Malindi Space Centre was a strategic facility that brings together the Kenya Space Agency, Italian Space agency, the Italian and Kenya governments over the exploration and exploitation of space science and technology

Kipkosgey said the space agency established in the late 1960s, is offering critical services not only for Kenya but globally including tracking services for launches of rockets that launch satellites into orbit.

“So, rockets that are being launched from America, France that go out into space are monitored and tracked from this facility,” he said.

He said the centre provides very critical data for science and astronomy, research and those students who are studying space science and astrology.