NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 29- Kenyans are set to witness more involvement of the military in undertaking what is termed as civilian work and more so in construction of roads and buildings in the country.
It is a move hailed as revolutionary as it is set to reduce the cost of doing work and the risk of embezzlement of public funds.
Already, the Kenya Defence Forces has registered a construction company, following the approval of the National Security Council and it is in the process of acquiring the machinery needed for executing its mandate.
The National Security Council consists of the President, his deputy Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Foreign Affairs and Internal Security, Attorney General, Chief of Kenya Defence Forces, Director General of the National Intelligence Service and Inspector General of the National Police Service.
The company will be called Ulinzi Construction Company, KDF Chief of Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi has revealed.
He was speaking during an interview with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
With the company, he said it will be “cheaper for the government,” to undertake some certain construction tasks.
“We are ready to do any job,” he said, that has been given by President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is also the Commander in Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces.
For example, he said the military is capable of constructing the ongoing wall from Mandera to Kiunga, other than providing security alone.
The company will mostly target projects in areas prone to insecurity and have a tough terrain.
“We can do it ourselves at a cheaper cost, much faster and we will also be providing security in the areas,” the CDF said.
“We are looking at the Nation Defence becoming a public good, that people will identify with moving forward.”
But why a construction company?
The CDF explained that “the idea here is to separate what we call combat operations like opening up roads, bridges, digging water in the bushes and we will have this construction company mainly focusing on horizontal construction and vertical buildings.”
The company will be absorbing National Youth Services recruits, as a result, creating job opportunities for them.
“We think, very seriously, making use of these young people will also create employment for them. We need to create avenue for them to be absorbed,” he said.
Gen Kibochi noted that this was a new model or unique to Kenya, saying the military in countries like Pakistan is already engaging in such activities.
The company will also seek to earn revenue for the government.
On whether it is a bad thing, he said the military is only streamlining areas that have collapsed like in the case of Kenya Meat Commission and work done under the Nairobi Metropolitan Services, led by Lt General Mohammed Badi.
He said only those “hellbent on continuing on bad ways” are against the role of military in reforming the public sector.
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