This archive report was first published on 9 August 2019.
On Friday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i presided over the graduation of an elite all-female Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team in Ngong, a historic milestone for Kenya's security forces.
The team of 48 commandos, the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa, underwent five months of physical and combat drilling as part of their 15-month standardized training.
Their training featured Israeli Krav Maga, multiple weapons handling techniques, and explosives and IEDs management, equipping them to handle emerging security threats and hostage crises with precision.
Speaking during the passing-out ceremony, CS Matiang'i noted that the new team comes at a critical time for the country, and that they have demonstrated unmatched expertise in thwarting terror threats and attacks.
“Today gives us confidence as the government that we have the capacity to protect our people and secure our country… Now we can rest assured that we have more officers who can undertake intricate security operations that require specialized approaches,” said Dr. Matiang’i.
Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai committed to progressively increasing the contingent in the next intake, further solidifying the team's role in Kenya's security efforts.
