Kenya's
armed forces are relatively small
and have thus been called on only
in domestic conflicts. Kenya has little
capability of exerting military influence
outside its borders. Their combat
worthiness in the field remain untested
since independence. In 1994, military
expenditures were $134 million, about
3.9% of the GDP. Military branches
include the Army, the Navy, the Air
Force and the paramilitary General
Service Unit which is used internally
during political and civil disturbances.
The
commander in chief of Kenya's military
defense is the nation's president.
Just under the president, the minister
of defense presides over the Defense
Council. The nation's Defense Headquarters
is headed by the chief of the defense
staff, who also serves as commander
of the army. The National Assembly
is the deliberative body charged with
the right to declare war.
Military
service is fulfilled by voluntary
enlistment, generally for a period
of nine years. The armed forces employ
about 13,350 men and women. The army's
organization is as follows: 1 armed
brigade, 2 infantry brigades, 1 engineer
brigade, 1 armored reconnaissance
battalion, 2 artillery battalions,
2 engineer battalions, 1 independent
air cavalry battalion, 5 infantry
battalions, 1 parachute battalion,
air wing with 15 armored helicopters.
Its equipment includes 76 Vickers
Mark 3 tanks, 76 armored reconnaissance
vehicles, 62 armored personnel carriers,
56 105mm. guns, 12 155mm. Howitzers,
30 mortars, 50 recoil-less rifles,
and a number of antitank guided weapons.
The army's air forces are made up
of 28 combat aircraft, 22 transports,
14 trainers, and 44 helicopters. The
Navy employs 650 personnel; it has
3 patrol boats and 4 fast attack craft.
Kenya's naval base is in Mombasa;
its air bases include Eastleigh (Nairobi),
Nanyuki, Embakasi, Nyeri, Mombasa,
and Kisumu[1] . The British military
retains a presence in Kenya, with
300 British military officers on duty
supporting the Kenyan armed forces.
Combined training exercises are held
annually. An agreement with the US
in the early 1980s gave US forces
access to Kenyan air force and naval
facilities in exchange for increased
military and economic aid.
In
1982, the air force attempted a coup
against President Moi. The coup failed
and over 1,000 air force personnel
were arrested and the air force was
disbanded and put under the operational
command of the army.
[1]
Kurian, George Thomas 1992. Encyclopedia
of the Third World, fourth edition,
volume III, Facts on File: New York,
N.Y., pp.983-984.
Resources researched
by
Abdelaziz Marhoum, & David A. Samper
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