A return of military engagement in civilian duties has exposed Kenya Kwanza government’s double standards in their criticism of the previous administration’s involvement of Kenya Defence Forces personnel in development projects.
Just like his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, President William Ruto has found himself opting to engage the military in projects that he wants fast-tracked with minimal wastage of public funds in a bid to cement his legacy.
Jamhuri Grounds, Nyayo National Stadium, Kasarani and Kipchoge Keino stadia are now under the military for refurbishment ahead of Kenya’s hosting of Africa Cup of Nations in 2027.
The ministry of Sports handed over the stadiums last month, the move coming days after the government praised KDF for the renovations done at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC) ahead of the Africa Climate Summit.
While the summit was taking place, KDF was training the 1,405 newly recruited Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) revenue service assistants at its recruits training college in Eldoret.
“An important aspect of achieving integrity in tax mobilisation involves the training of tax administration officers. This ensures that they are equipped to enforce compliance and maintain high standards,” Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said during the officers pass-out last month.
This shows a shift in strategy by Ruto’s administration. President Ruto this week praised his predecessor as he commissioned the newly-built MV Uhuru II vessel at Kenya Shipyards Limited in Kisumu County.
“I must congratulate my predecessor, President Uhuru Kenyatta, for his foresight in coming up with this shipyard refurbishment…What we are seeing here is phenomenal and I must say both President Kenyatta and the military’s leadership, with a lot of foresight drove this programme to where we are today,” President Ruto said on Monday.
During the 2022 campaigns, Dr Ruto’s close allies had vowed to eject the military from civilian engagements claiming that the move was a violation of the Constitution.
“It is a shock that active military men who are supposed to operate in barracks and the borders of Kenya are running civilian governments,” then Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumpa Murkomen, a close confidant of President Ruto, said in May 2020, citing the military’s role in the running of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services. Murkomen is now Transport Cabinet Secretary.
In reaction to the claims at the time, President Uhuru Kenyatta defended his reliance on KDF, citing their efficiency and patriotism in management of public resources unlike state officials who collude with contractors to plunder resources.
“If all of us operated and behaved, loved and served their country in the manner in which the Kenya Defence Forces does, Kenya would today be a great country, and we all have a big lesson to learn,” Kenyatta said two years ago.
In an address to a joint sitting of Parliament in 2021, Kenyatta cited the KDF’s success in the revival of Kenya Meat Commission (KMC).
Uhuru reopens Kenya Meat Commission
“To increase the speed of reviving this dead capital, I decided to use KDF because of their unity of command, military efficiency and reasonable pricing. As an example, after the KDF took over the KMC, they turned it around in just a few months. Whereas previously it took farmers four years to be paid, they are now paid in 72 hours. The KMC has resuscitated its outlets and currently collects approximately Sh1 million daily. Previously, those outlets collected Sh8,000 daily. Mjiulize hiyo pesa ingineilikuwa inaenda wapi. That Sh1 million daily translates to Sh30million every month and Sh3.6 billion annually, in just one outlet?”
During his tenure, Kenyatta had also appointed Lt General Mohamed Badi to refurbish the city under the Nairobi Metropolitan Services, deployed KDF to rehabilitate the Thika-Nanyuki and Nairobi-Kisumu railway lines, and the port of Kisumu, restoring government vehicles and ships.
He further deployed KDF at the Ministry of Lands headquarters to spearhead the digitisation of land records under the Joint National and Resource Mapping to speed up land transactions particularly issuance of title deeds across the country.
“KDF's intention is not certainly to be there forever, the intention is to rework the processes and have a system that works. It is possible that in future, probably when this culture ingrains itself, civilian staff are brought in,” then Chief of Defence forces General Robert Kibochi said.
While debating the President’s speech in the National Assembly in 2021, then Saku MP Ali Rasso (Jubilee Party) praised positive engagement of KDF at KMC, NMS and Kenya Railways.
“Going forward, I advise His Excellency the President and the one who will come after him - who I strongly believe will be the hustler - to ensure the top leadership of Kenya attends a short course at the National Defence College to clearly understand the issues affecting Kenya. That is why the military is performing so well and is the best institution in this country,” said the lawmaker.
Other than the return of the leadership of Nairobi County to civilian rule after disbandment of NMS, the rest of the engagements that the military was involved in during the Jubilee administration are still running under them.
An example is the operations of the Kenya Meat Commission, which the military revived at an initial cost of Sh600 million in a record four months. Under KDF, KMC abattoirs have roared back to life and meat distribution and selling points established across major towns within Nairobi.
Events in recent weeks further show that the government is also leaning towards the military to a considerable extent owing to the many activities that KDF is now getting tasked with overseeing and implementing.
The government is further relying on KDF to open up the banditry-prone North Rift region to development in the North Rift National Security Strategy Marshal plan that is set to be tabled in parliament for approval.
The ambitious plan seeks to dig boreholes, dams, roads and build boarding schools in the region to make the region attractive to investors and promote lasting peace amongst the residing communities. KDF has since started the construction of schools and increased its presence in the region.
In setting up additional military camps along the warring communities’ borders KDF is preparing ground for the set up of boarding schools along the borders, a decision that has been agreed upon by stakeholders to ensure that children mix up in schools and embrace a culture of unity.
“This will ensure that Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Marakwet, Turgen and all communities children get to study together. A few individuals will not derail the ongoing peace plans by taking people to heaven, we shall be the ones to take them to heaven. Our security forces will deal with you,” Defence CS Aden Duale said during his recent tour of the region a week ago.
Under article 241(b) of the constitution, KDF has the mandate to assist and cooperate with other authorities in areas of their competence, whether there is an emergency or disaster.
