Kenya, UK Ink Multi-Million Night Deal as Uhuru Awaits Special Gift

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President Uhuru Kenyatta
A file image of President Uhuru Kenyatta(left) and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson(right)

Kenya and the United Kingdom signed a 5-year defense deal on the night of Tuesday, July 27, as reports emerged that President Uhuru Kenyatta was awaiting a gift from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

A statement shared by the British High Commission in Kenya indicated that the two countries signed a new five-year Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) on the sidelines of Uhuru's three-day UK tour.

The event, which took place at the Ministry of Defence offices in London, was attended by the Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Dr Monica Juma, and her UK counterpart, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.

Some of the benefits arising from the agreement included a Ksh1.16 billion annual UK investment in the defense partnership with Kenya which is aimed at training 1,100 Kenyan soldiers every year.

UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace (front right) and his counterpart Monica Juma at the Nanyuki barracks.
UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace (front right) and his counterpart Monica Juma at the Nanyuki barracks.
File

Other benefits include the training for the Kenyan Navy on maritime security, safety and firefighting and investment of Ksh28 million in community projects such as sanitation and health.

"Our two nations have a long and proud history of military cooperation, working together on land, sea and air to find shared solutions to our shared challenges, including countering the threat from terrorist groups like Al-Shabaab.

"The signing of the DCA comes six months after the two defense secretaries met in Nairobi, agreeing a refreshed Security Compact to deepen wider stability and security cooperation, part of the Kenya-UK strategic partnership," read the statement in part.

Speaking during the signing, CS Juma noted that the agreement was an invaluable tool for enhancing the competencies of defense forces in the two countries.

"“Today, Rt Hon Ben Wallace and I reaffirmed our commitment to continue deepening the defense cooperation between our two nations. The framework underpinning this strategic relationship is the Defence Cooperation Agreement which has become an invaluable tool for enhancing the competencies of our defense forces.

"Overall our cooperation continues to significantly improve the ability of our forces to operate effectively in high-threat environments," she stated

This comes even as The Sun reported that UK PM Boris Johnson was preparing to gift Uhuru over 800,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to boost vaccination exercise in Kenya.

The publication noted that the doses were the first tranche of 100 million doses that the UK had vowed to share with developing countries.

“It’s right that as the UK continues our world-beating vaccine rollout at home, we support other countries to get the pandemic under control," stated a source from the UK government.

Uhuru is in a 3-day tour in the UK where he is expected to co-chair the Global Education Summit alongside UK Prime Minister. The event is expected to raise Ksh 500 billion (USD5 billion) for the improvement of access to education worldwide.

President Uhuru Kenyatta receiving Covid-19 vaccine on March 26, 2021 at State House, Nairobi.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta receiving the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine on March 26, 2021 at State House, Nairobi.
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