Kenya on Wednesday, July 28, signed a Ksh9.87 billion deal with Turkish armored vehicles company Katmerciler for new armored fighting vehicles, the largest deal ever in many years.
The company disclosed the new deal to the Turkish stock exchange in Istanbul.
The defence contract will see Kenya receiving 118 new protected military vehicles to boost the capacity of the Kenya armed forces in the fight against terrorism.
According to the agreement, the Turkish manufacturer will begin delivering the vehicles next year with the full order to be completed in 2023.
The vehicles will be deployed for counter-terror operations against the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militants that have been a security threat in Eastern Africa over the years.
The military vehicles will carry up to nine soldiers and are equipped with special elements to protect the combatants from improvised explosive devices (IED) during operations.
According to Katmerciler, the vehicles will be used for chemical, biological, command and control, radiological and nuclear defence, and border security.
The deal comes amid Kenya’s move to strengthen its security relations with Turkey to enhance its fight against terrorism.
Kenya has suffered a number of deadly attacks on its citizens and troops from Al-Shabaab militants demanding the removal of the Kenyan soldiers in Somalia.
However, the Kenya Defence Forces have consistently upgraded its military scope to effectively repulse the security threats posed by the militants.
The purchase of the new military vehicles signals President Uhuru Kenyatta’s endless determination to boost the capacity of the armed forces to safeguard the country.
Katmerciler won the lucrative deal after defeating South African and North American manufacturers.
