The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has unveiled an ultra-modern Counter Improvised Explosives Devices complex that is set to help in enhancing the country’s defence and peace building capabilities.
The facility, financed by the German government, is located at the Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS) in Kahawa Garisson, Nairobi.
It comprises lecture halls, a 200-people capacity auditorium, library, in-patient health centre and an IED museum occupying 12 blocks.
Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya, who presided over the official opening, thanked the German government for the support, noting this shows its commitment to peace and stability in the region.
HPSS is an institute of the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), which is a centre of excellence in Peace Support Operations (PSO) training, education and research.
It is headed by Brigadier Joyce Sitienei of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
“By supporting the construction of this complex, Germany has demonstrated its commitment to supporting Kenya's determined pursuit for regional and global peace and stability by enhancing our country's defence and peace building capabilities," said Tuya.
"This support strengthens the deep bilateral ties between our two countries and demonstrates Germany's positioning as one of Kenya's foremost development partners.”
She noted that IEDs had become a weapon of choice for terrorist groups and expressed optimism that the new facility would help Kenya to fully address the persistent security challenge.
"The increasing deployment of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) as a weapon of choice by terrorists is a major concern. We believe the new Counter-IED complex will help us to address this challenge," the CS said.
Most importantly, the CS said the new facility would cement IPSTC's positioning as the United Nation’s centre of excellence in the training of personnel for peace keeping missions worldwide.
She said continued support by development partners had sustained Kenya's rising profile as a champion of peace support and conflict resolution, and assured of the Kenyan government's continued investment in peace building and conflict resolution.
Tuya also assured that the government would continue to invest in the International Peace Support Training Centre as it endeavours to build capacity in education, research and training for peace support operations.
"We also commit to support collaborative efforts that shall enable us to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and enhance our collective capacity to tackle emerging threats to global peace," the CS assured.
The Cabinet Secretary also spoke about Kenya's continued involvement in regional peacekeeping and conflict resolution, saying the country's geopolitical positioning in the volatile eastern and horn Africa region was both an opportunity and a challenge.
In his address, the visiting German Parliamentary State Secretary for Defence, Thomas Hitschler, stated his country's commitment to continue supporting Kenya's regional peace building and conflict resolution efforts.
He said his country recognizes Kenya's unique positioning and strong credentials as a regional anchor state and thanked the Kenyan government for its continued commitment to global peace and stability.
Other speakers at the auspicious event included KDF's General Officer Commanding Eastern Command Major General Luka Kutto, who read the Chief of Defence Forces speech, IPSTC Director Brigadier Joyce Sitienei and the German Ambassador to Kenya Sebastian Groth.
