President Uhuru Kenyatta flags off 500 police vehicles

Two of the mine resistant vehicles unveiled by President Uhuru Kenyatta at Uhuru Park.

Nairobi, Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta says Government has procured 500 police vehicles among them 25 mine resistant vehicles which will help in fight against terrorism.

President Uhuru stated that this was part of police modernization programme.

The vehicles will be distributed to counties to assist the police in their day to day activities of making the country a secure place.

In the first and second phase of the leasing programme 2,200 vehicles were acquired and deployed.

The vehicles were acquired through the government’s leasing programme and they include 25 Mine Resistant Personnel Carriers and 30 Armoured Personnel Carriers which will be deployed to border regions that are affected by terror attacks.

The APCs have been deployed to three main hotspots and are working well.

Some 150 personnel have been trained on how to handle the APCs in their areas of operation after the procurement from China

Kenyatta termed the launch a big milestone in his government’s efforts to enhance police mobility and modernization programme.

“This is a big milestone in ensuring police mobility and safety in their duties,” he said at Uhuru Park where the vehicles were parked for the launch.

The vehicles include 350 pick-ups, 100 lorries and 50 salon ones. The president said the launch brings to 5,875, the number of vehicles so far acquired under the programme. He did not disclose the cost.

Kenyatta said when Jubilee came to power in 2013, there were 3,155 assorted vehicles and most of them were in bad condition.

This he said exposed the security services.

He said the launch of the 500 vehicles was the third batch. In the first batch they commissioned 1,200 vehicles, then followed 100 others.

The vehicles will be distributed to all agencies in the services.

Kenyatta said they will continue to acquire more equipment for the police.

“We intend to ensure we have enough vehicles for security services.”

He said in 2013 police had one serviceable helicopter but the fleet has increased to three and they intend to make it seven by July.