Is Kenya Preparing For War?

[Ab-Titchaz]

Sh27bn Kenya arms purchase queried ​

UN last week said Kenya had spent Sh27 billion on combat aircraft, helicopters and grenade launchers. Although Kenya is not at war, militants in Somalia have threatened to attack the country. Kenya neighbours Ethiopia, which is fighting two wars. ​

By DOMINIC WABALA

The government was on Sunday on the spot over its massive expenditure on military hardware. A whopping Sh27 billion ($348 million) was used to buy combat aircraft, helicopters, grenade launchers and other light arms in a single year, according to a report by a peace studies institute.

In the report released last week, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, says Kenya came fourth behind South Africa, Angola and Sudan in a group of 23 east and southern African countries in the 2008 weapons purchases.

Transparency International has termed Kenya's expenditure as "gross miscarriage of justice for a country that is not at war". "Kenya is not at war with any country, yet our military expenditure compares with Ethiopia, which has a larger army and is at war with two countries," Mr Job Ogonda, the executive director of TI Kenya chapter, said.

The money, he added, should instead have been used on urgent needs like free primary education, buying farmers' maize or milk that is going to waste. "Why do we need all that military hardware, yet we don't have money for the referendum or for the interim electoral commission to begin voter registration?"

The TI boss said the weapons may be used against Kenyans in case of political violence similar to the one that followed the disputed presidential poll in 2007.

Large sums of money

Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Security, Fred Kapondi, said it was unjustifiable to spend such large sums of money on weapons. But the Mt Elgon MP
also raised the possibility that most of the money alleged to have been spent on weapons may have been stolen by officials.

"There is no correlation between what the government says we have spent and the equipment we have. A lot of this money goes into individuals' pockets," Mr Kapondi said. Among the hardware Kenya is said to have bought were 15 combat aircraft from Jordan and four helicopters from China.

South Africa, which is modernising its military, spent Sh285.7 billion while Angola used Sh184.2 billion. Department of Defence spokesman Bogita Ongeri, disputed the figure saying although the military is modernising, it did not spend that kind of money on hardware purchases.

"The amount being mentioned could be the total allocation to the department, which includes what is used to pay emoluments and other expenses to staff," Mr Ongeri said. The report titled, "Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2009", reveals that Kenya received 40,000 rifles and 405 grenade launchers from Ukraine in 2007.

It notes that in several cases, small volumes of arms supplies to sub-Saharan African countries have had "a major impact on regional conflict dynamics." According to the report, Kenya's expenditure on weapons has been rising steadily over the years from Sh16.7 billion in 1999 to Sh27 billion in 2008.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Sh27bn%20arms%20Kenya%20purchase%20queried%20%20/-/1056/884168/-/5nvwx1/-/index.html

 

[Soulbrother]

We have always known this...the problem with the Kenyan Millitary is that its very secretive.We even know that Kenya Airforce is the second best in Africa save for South Africa.Ask members of the Millitary and they will tell you even the Sudan or Ethiopia will not threaten Kenya.The call the Ugandan Army.....the un-Modernised bush Army,and the Tanzanian Army they call it Young Policemen from the south

Do you have to insult when making a comment? I can now clearly see why no one has thanked you in the last 12 posts.

 

[Ndahani]

We have always known this...the problem with the Kenyan Millitary is that its very secretive.We even know that Kenya Airforce is the second best in Africa save for South Africa.Ask members of the Millitary and they will tell you even the Sudan or Ethiopia will not threaten Kenya.The call the Ugandan Army.....the un-Modernised bush Army,and the Tanzanian Army they call it Young Policemen from the south

Military hardwares alone could not make somebody wins the war....ask Americans about their experience in Vietnam. They will tell good story about it.

 

[damn]

Military hardwares alone could not make somebody wins the war....ask Americans about their experience in Vietnam. They will tell good story about it.

Good point ndahani. To win the war you need the army to be in the hearts of the people. US and NATO has won neither the battle nor the war in Afghanistan although they have state of the art hardware. and the taliban boys have riffles and AK's without any helicopter or any F's military plane.

 

[jossey1979]

This is really weird

 

[Injinia]

What if they are not preparing for combat? Not within their borders, at least.
Ever wondered how Sudan etc get their ammo?

 

[Somi]

We have always known this...the problem with the Kenyan Millitary is that its very secretive.We even know that Kenya Airforce is the second best in Africa save for South Africa.Ask members of the Millitary and they will tell you even the Sudan or Ethiopia will not threaten Kenya.The call the Ugandan Army.....the un-Modernised bush Army,and the Tanzanian Army they call it Young Policemen from the south

mrututu provide specific and strong evidence with references that kenya airforce is second best in africa after south africa and kenyan army call tanzania army young policemen from the south.
what i know and you know also is tanzanian army has got best military school where kenyan army,ugandan army,nigerian army etc come to be trained there

 

[Abdulhalim]

The Mzungu wanazidi tu kupata faida kwenye biashara zao za silaha. Binadamu kweli ni mnyama hatari kuliko wanyama wote chini ya jua.

 

[Abdulhalim]

Kushindania misilaha ni kuonesha IQ ndogo..

 

[Wacha1]

Wajiandae tu kwa vita kwani kuna ubaya gani? Hiyo EAC ndio lazima kuwa na jeshi la kulinda na hilo jeshi ni la Kenya nothing new there. Angalau wanafahamu nini kitatokea.

 

[Smatta]

I dont think we are preparing for any war, just precautionary measures being taken by the forces to secure its borders.

If you look at how 'friendly' the alshabab boys are towards us, then you will understand why there is an arms race, besides we have all heard the rumour doing rounds that Kenya is supposedly training Kenyan Somalis to go fight the militias inside Somali so its understandable when we buy arms at that rate.

 

[Aza]

and what about current tanzania situation?take a look on robbery,musoma incidence,kigoma,ilsands,zanzibar etc

 

[Hellfire21]

Preparations for war is too far-fetched.These are mere replacements and upgrades.Currently some of the existing air force inventory was acquired 25-30 years ago which means the air-force is not functioning properly the way it ought to due to an aging fleet.Obviously to counter this near simultaneous replacements are required elemnts within the airforce ie Attack Anti-Tank Transport(Both Fixed wing and Choppers). of course beginning with the attack aspect with the acquisition of the F-5 i would have expected the purchasing of a more multi role fighter plane i.e the F-16's but looks like that wont be.Still an upgraded F-5 is a formidable plane capable of withstanding any challenge from other fighters in the region.
With the Choppers i am expecting more acquisitions in the next one to two years again due to the issue of age.The Antitank elements of the Army(50ACB) with their MD500 gunships aka Little birds are still formidable and being the only Anti tank wing across the region is also coming to its operational end new replacements will be needed and with the Harbin Z-9WA helicopters the army will have that extra edge.

 

[MkamaP]

Wanajiandaa kuwanyamazisha EAC.

Mkifanya uchaguzi wa rais wanaiba kura kwa makusudi, mkileta fujo wanawatuliza na hizo vifalu. Watawaachia vinchi vyenu baada ya kuwa distabalize vya kutosha. Teh teh teh teh.

Mtaanza tena harakati za kutafuta uhuru.

 

[MkamaP]

Unajuwa viongozi wetu wa ajabu sana.

Wachukuwe mda kidogo tu kujiuliza kwanini Uturuki imeomba kujiunga na EU siku nyingiiiiiiii weeeeeeeeeeee lakini bado hawajaikubalia.

 

[Mwana wa Mungu]

just try to tell the americans to get back to somalia, they will slap you on the face, they don't even want to remember the mogadishu thing... and for you kenyans, go on buying weapons while your people are starving, one would have bought food or paid for their schools. continue thinking that tz and uganda are sleeping, until when you wake up to see that we have overtaken you a thousand miles. too bad that the somali threat is eating your money like that, and instead of speaking with respect to the people you are bagging for cooperation/federation, you are insulting us and our army, ciao.

 

[Kiranga]

We have always known this...the problem with the Kenyan Millitary is that its very secretive.We even know that Kenya Airforce is the second best in Africa save for South Africa.Ask members of the Millitary and they will tell you even the Sudan or Ethiopia will not threaten Kenya.The call the Ugandan Army.....the un-Modernised bush Army,and the Tanzanian Army they call it Young Policemen from the south

Yes,

But did you get the point of the main article? What is the point of all this extravagant military spending for a country not at war? I s Kenya insecure in some ways? I do understand the necessity of all nations to preserve their security, but this is over the top and in my opinion unjustified, what is Kenya going to acquire next, a Cape Canaveral type of space shuttle launch gear?

Is this the best use for the money? Are the powers that be that cognizant that it is only a matter of time before the country implode again, possibly even deadlier this time? Is this preparation for the next elections? Or is this just the most convenient way to plunder the national coffers under the guise of the sacred and unquestionable halo of "national security"?

Excessive military spending has occuppied a big chunk of the graveyard of empires from the Greek / Roman/ Byzantine to Prussia/ German/ Dutch and British down to the Soviet Union.

Why spend so much on defense Kenya? Why so much on unused big guns and jets while there are so many poor people who need education, food and shelter?

Paul Kennedy in his seminal book "The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000 " showed that excessive defense spending by autocratic states inevitably becomes unbearable and a heavy toll on their economies, giving rise to economic desperation.

 

[Jasusi]

just try to tell the americans to get back to somalia, they will slap you on the face, they don't even want to remember the mogadishu thing... and for you kenyans, go on buying weapons while your people are starving, one would have bought food or paid for their schools. continue thinking that tz and uganda are sleeping, until when you wake up to see that we have overtaken you a thousand miles. too bad that the somali threat is eating your money like that, and instead of speaking with respect to the people you are bagging for cooperation/federation, you are insulting us and our army, ciao.

Mwana wa Mungu,
Believe me, the Americans are already back in Somalia!

 

[Masanja]

We have always known this...the problem with the Kenyan Millitary is that its very secretive.We even know that Kenya Airforce is the second best in Africa save for South Africa.Ask members of the Millitary and they will tell you even the Sudan or Ethiopia will not threaten Kenya.The call the Ugandan Army.....the un-Modernised bush Army,and the Tanzanian Army they call it Young Policemen from the south

Hilarious!

How did you know?

Where have you guys in Kenya ever fought to confirm this claim?... Ethiopia I would understand them (killing their kins in Eritrea and Somalia) Sudan I can understand them (killing their own people in Darfur and Upper Nile et al) l..But Kenya? Where..?..I bet you havent even spent a single bullet on Al Shaabab on the other side of the boarder....Neither..do I agree that..post election violence..which claimed thousands in refugee camps..was a result of having the second best airforce in Africa.

My advise (just as I would tell Sudanese, Tanzanians or Ivorians...) ....Before you fight external enemy...fight internal enemy first! As we all know, internal enemies are the worst. For example...Your fellow Kenyans..who condemned their neighbour to a perpertual refugee status in IDP camp somewhere in Mt. Elgon..posses a great danger to the peace and Security of your country than Al Shaabab who is somewhere in Mogadishu.

Hivi baadhi ya ndugu zetu wakenya..hamuwezi kusema kitu bila kusema we are the best in this or that? (nothing bad being the best in something though..but some of you people the way you put it here..seem like..you are fighting against your Southern Neighbour).

Msipende kuishi maisha ya kushindana. Do your things, and the best team will always be rewarded! Msihangaike na akina Tanzania and co..who are "still sleeping". I am sure by the time wakiamka..watakuta mmeshafika mbali...So hang on. Do your things!


Masanja

 

[Smatta]

Yes,

But did you get the point of the main article? What is the point of all this extravagant military spending for a country not at war? I s Kenya insecure in some ways? I do understand the necessity of all nations to preserve their security, but this is over the top and in my opinion unjustified, what is Kenya going to acquire next, a Cape Canaveral type of space shuttle launch gear?

Is this the best use for the money? Are the powers that be that cognizant that it is only a matter of time before the country implode again, possibly even deadlier this time? Is this preparation for the next elections? Or is this just the most convenient way to plunder the national coffers under the guise of the sacred and unquestionable halo of "national security"?

Excessive military spending has occuppied a big chunk of the graveyard of empires from the Greek / Roman/ Byzantine to Prussia/ German/ Dutch and British down to the Soviet Union.

Why spend so much on defense Kenya? Why so much on unused big guns and jets while there are so many poor people who need education, food and shelter?

Paul Kennedy in his seminal book "The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000 " showed that excessive defense spending by autocratic states inevitably becomes unbearable and a heavy toll on their economies, giving rise to economic desperation.

Thanks for your analytic response, I partly agree and partly disagree with you. As a country Kenya has a budget, where different ministries/departments are allocated a sizable amount of money depending on its needs and Budget. Every ministry from education, Agriculture, special program to defense have a budget in which they are supposed to spend. so to me when you say that we shouldn't buy modern arsenal so that we divert the fund to education (Which got the biggest chunk -133 Billion, in the 2009-2010 budget FYI), I think you are missing the point.

With a defense budget of 44 Billion, why shouldnt they arm the 30 000 men with modern weaponry? The ministry of Agriculture was given 11.7 billion ksh. which is still grossly misappropriated. We shouldn't also ignore the internal security ministry which was given 43.5 Billion, and they havent bought anything to raise eyebrows.

If you want peace prepare for war, we are living in a volatile region, with terrorists planning on how they can attack, you dont expect us to sit still and pray for miracles. We must arm ourself and I support this fully.