Cabinet asks MPs to ratify defence pact with South Africa

Defence Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By EDWIN MUTAI
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Kenya has once again asked its Parliament to ratify a military pact with South Africa that aims to, among other things, enable co-operation on the procurement of defence equipment.

The terms of the co-operation agreement include development and implementation of the security
policy, exchange of military information and facilitation of industrial co-operation.

The agreement, tabled in the National Assembly by Leader of majority Aden Duale, will also see Kenya benefit in the areas of counter-piracy and other maritime safety activities as well as medical health service.

“The agreement identifies its main objective as enhancing co-operation by identifying and providing a framework for co-operation for exchange of experiences and knowledge for the use and mutual benefit of the parties,” says Defence Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo in a memorandum explaining the contents of the agreement to MPs.

“The agreement will also provide a framework for parties to collaborate in the field of defence industries in a mutually beneficial manner.”

However, the agreement does not provide details on how Kenya and South Africa will encourage and facilitate industrial co-operation between their respective industries in the procurement of defence equipment.

Kenya has in the last five years continued to lead its regional neighbours both in budget size as well as annual spending growth, causing fear that it could spark an arms race.

Kenya and Uganda have been upgrading their firepower through purchases or donations, as they lead the African Union Mission in Somalia against the Al-Shabaab terrorists blamed for attacks on Kenyan soil, including abduction of foreign workers.

Kenya does not make public its military purchases, and only Parliament is mandated to scrutinise the classified expenditure by security agencies.

But international sources have in the past reported purchases of helicopters, transport planes and jet fighters.

Parliament approved an allocation of Sh23.7 billion to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) for weapons acquisition in the current financial year that started July 1, raising the military spend to Sh121 billion from Sh109 billion the previous financial year.

Nairobi and Pretoria first signed the agreement in October 2016 following negotiations that started in 2007 but South Africa informed Kenya that critical South Africa's internal procedures had not been complied with.

Subsequently, Kenya's Ministry of Defence recalled the initial agreement that had been submitted to the National Assembly for ratification.

The agreement was resigned on February 12, 2019 after the South African government confirmed that its internal procedures had been complied with.

The agreement provides a framework for exchange, sharing and utilisation of the respective State’s experience, knowledge, military facilities and infrastructure, which will be instrumental in strengthening bilateral relations between Kenya and South Africa.