Major General Andrew M Rohling, the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa commander, visited Kenya between 2 and 5 March on an official tour to broaden and strengthen the security partnership between the United States and Kenya.
“The United States stands shoulder to shoulder with Kenya in our mutual objective to keep Kenyans and Americans safe through support and cooperation across all branches of the Kenya Defence Forces, including annual education and training, shared intelligence and surveillance, joint military exercises, high quality military equipment, and pandemic response,” Africa Command (Africom) said.
Rohling officiated at a ceremony laying a foundation stone for a new simulator facility at the Kenya Army School of Infantry in Isiolo, part of $4 million (approximately Ksh 438 million) in current US government support to training infrastructure enhancements at the School of Infantry. This project, developed in close coordination with KDF senior leadership, will significantly improve the quality of training received by the roughly 3 000 KDF personnel who train at the school each year before deploying to combat operations, Africom said.
The schedule of activities included meetings at Kenya Army Headquarters with Deputy Army Commander, Major General Albert Kendagor to discuss strategic security cooperation initiatives, as well as a visit to the KDF Wellness Centre at Langata Barracks, hosted by Major General George Ngang’a, director of medical services, to meet with wounded KDF service members.
Additionally, Rohling had the opportunity to address representatives from Kenya’s Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations on SETAF-AF’s role in supporting the overall US-Kenya bilateral defence relationship.
“The US Army remains committed to the KDF by building interoperability among our troops and improving military institutions,” said Rohling. “I am proud of the work the US Army has done to assist the KDF, and I look forward to the future opportunities that will build upon our longstanding partnership.”