A group of soldiers from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) received awards and recognition for their contributions to a United Nations mission, earning medals in the process.
On Friday, August 29, the Fourth Contingent of the Kenya Quick Reaction Force (KENQRF 4), serving under the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), was awarded UN service medals in recognition of its outstanding performance during a one-year tour of duty.
The soldiers, serving under the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB), were given the medals in a colourful medal parade presided over by MONUSCO Force Commander, Lieutenant General Ulisses de Mesquita Gomes, who commended the Kenyan peacekeepers for their professionalism and commitment.
“We have witnessed your resilience in this challenging environment. In addition, your engagement with the local community through cultural exchanges, key leadership engagements, and religious outreach programs has built trust and fostered relationships with the community, while demonstrating the compassion of being a peacekeeper,” said Lt Gen Gomes.
The FIB Commander, Brigadier Richard Tobias Chagonapanja, who also addressed the parade, lauded the KENQRF for its operational excellence, pointing out that KENQRF emerged the best Contingent within FIB in the first Quarter of 2025.
“The Kenyan contingent has demonstrated remarkable agility and reliability. Whenever called upon, you have responded swiftly and effectively, embodying the true spirit of a Quick Reaction Force,” he remarked.
In his speech, the KENQRF Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Simon Seda, expressed gratitude on behalf of the troops.
“These medals are not just a symbol of service but also a reminder of the sacrifices we have made jointly with the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the local security forces, and our partners within MONUSCO. We are humbled by the trust placed in us and proud to have flown the Kenyan flag high under the banner of the United Nations,” he noted.
The MONUSCO Mission
MONUSCO was established on July 1, 2010, succeeding the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), which had been in place since 1999 to monitor the peace process following the Second Congo War.
The change from MONUC to MONUSCO (with "Stabilization" added) reflected a new phase in the country, shifting the focus towards stabilizing the country and supporting the government.
Kenya began sending troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo to join the UN peacekeeping mission in 2020. This was part of a request from the Congolese government, made in 2019, to strengthen the MONUSCO Force Intervention Brigade.
They were deployed as part of the Kenya Quick Reaction Force (KENQRF) and are part of standard troop rotations. The fourth contingent of the KENQRF was officially sent off in August 2024 to join MONUSCO.
