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Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has said the government will pump billions of shillings in order to equip the police officers in their fight against insecurity.

Kindiki said the money will be spent specifically on the police units that deal with the insecurity menace, especially in conflict-prone areas around the country.

“Equipment and kitting of frontline officers currently deployed in Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in the North Eastern Region, the Boni Enclave, the Upper Eastern Region, and the North Rift Valley remain key deliverable priorities for the Kenya Kwanza Administration,” the CS said in a statement on X.

He revealed that over seven billion has been spent in the last six months, and more will be made available to buy the needed types of equipment.

“The government has in the last six (6) months invested Ksh. 7.6 billion and will spend another Ksh. 29.4 billion in the next three (3) years under the Police Equipment Modernization (PEM) programme to acquire sophisticated protection and mobility equipment,” he added.

Needed equipment

The equipment the government intends to buy for the police includes armored personnel carriers (APCs), mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs), armored unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones, gunship helicopters, mine sweepers, and personal protection equipment to support the sacrificial and patriotic work of our frontline officers.

The former Tharaka-Nithi senator said the government is keen on ending terrorism and banditry in order to spur development in the affected regions.

“The government remains focused on the complete suppression and neutralization of terrorism, banditry, livestock rustling, and other organized criminal activities as the sure way of turning around our national security and putting Kenya on a firm path to equitable development and shared prosperity,” Kindiki continued.

On Wednesday, March 20, the CS commissioned and dispatched the first batch of equipment to support Operation Maliza Uhalifu in the North Rift Valley, which will be extended to cover the Northern Grazing Area of Meru County, Isiolo County, and Marsabit County, and counter-terrorism efforts in the North Eastern Region and the Boni Enclave in Lamu County.

He was accompanied by Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo (Internal Security and National Administration), Inspector General of the National Police Service (NPS) Japhet Koome, and Deputy Inspector-General Douglas Kanja (Kenya Police Service).

Deputy Inspector-General Noor Gabow (Administration Police Service), Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin, General Service Unit (GSU) Commandant Eliud Lagat, and other top ranks within the National Police Service were also present.