Kenya to Deploy More Soldiers to UN as Role of KDF Troops Revealed
Kenya is set to deploy more Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers to United Nations (UN) missions, where they will take on roles in peacekeeping and security.
On September 10, Major General Luka Kutto, General Officer Commanding Eastern Command (GOC EASTCOM), closed a training exercise for the troops at Kangaita training camp in Nanyuki.
The GOC confirmed the troops’ readiness for deployment after a mission readiness assessment, where they demonstrated the skills they acquired during their preparations.
According to a statement from the KDF, the training was designed to give the troops the necessary knowledge and skills to implement the UN mandate.
Once deployed, the contingent will work with other allied troops to continue the responsibilities handled by their predecessors.
Their core duties will include the protection of civilians (PoC), facilitating the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) of illegal armed groups into civilian life, and promoting Security Sector Reforms (SSR).
The commander stated that these duties are achievable through the establishment and operation of justice and security institutions in their Area of Responsibility.
Major General Kutto addressed the soldiers, urging them to maintain high standards as they transition to the mission areas.
“I am here to remind you that you are not only going out there as military personnel, but you are going out there as ambassadors of the Republic of Kenya. KDF is known for its professionalism in all peacekeeping and peace enforcement missions. You are expected to maintain the standards,” he said.
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The Kenyan government has deployed troops to various UN and other international missions in the past.
More recently, KDF soldiers weresent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)as part of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
As of August 2024, a fourth contingent of the Kenya Quick Reaction Force (KENQRF 4) was officially deployed to the DRC.
Prior to this, KDF troops had been part of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF-DRC) and joined MONUSCO’s efforts to restore calm in the country’s eastern region.
