On 21 November 2018, the United States handed the Kenya Defence Forces 12 Bastion Armoured Personnel Carriers in Nairobi, a donation meant to strengthen border surveillance and support the fight against Al-Shabaab.
The vehicles were presented at Kahawa Barracks by Col. Kevin Balisky, the US Defence Attaché and Senior Defence Official, to Deputy Kenya Army Commander Maj. Gen. Thomas Chepkuto. Balisky said the equipment reflected “the unwavering US commitment to Kenya and our shared national security interests,” adding that the vehicles would improve troop mobility and force protection during daily operations against violent extremism.
The donation came as KDF’s recruitment exercise entered its second day on Tuesday and complaints mounted in several counties over the small number of slots reserved for women. In Msambweni, Kwale County, women who reported for the exercise were told there was only one place available for them.
More than 30 women were turned away at the venue and accused the military of unfair treatment, saying they were repeatedly left out. Senior recruiting officer Lt. Col. J K Nzioka stepped in to calm the crowd and told the candidates that their concerns would be taken to the relevant authorities for action. No woman was recruited at the same venue in the previous year.
A similar scene played out in Kisumu East Sub-County, where dozens of women were also turned away. Lt. Col. Joseph Ng’eny, who was overseeing the drive in Nyanza and part of western region, said women were not being recruited at that station because the required number had already been reached. He added that other centres in the county would still take women depending on the gender balance the military wanted to achieve.
