President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday dressed in full military regalia for the first time.
The President was headed to Archers Post, in Samburu County for the validation of Kenya’s Pledged Forces to the Eastern Africa Standby Force function. The photos of the president in military uniform were posted on social media by Presidential Strategic Communications Unit. He becomes the first Head of State to put on military jungle regalia.
The late founding President Jomo Kenyatta and his predecessor Daniel arap Moi used to put on military ceremonial uniform.
The field training, christened ‘Eneza Amani 2014’, is the culmination of the preparation of Kenya’s pledged forces to the East African Standby forces.
The 1,176 force will be part of an African Union initiative that can be mobilised to resolve conflicts and keep peace in the continent .Other economic communities contributing forces include North African Regional Capacity (NARC), Ecowas Standby Force (ESF), ECCAS Standby Force (Fomac), SADC Standby Force.
President Kenyatta was taken through a series of training programmes and exercises, Kenya’s Pledged Force underwent to evaluate and validate the force ahead of the full operational capacity of the East African Standby Force.
The President said Kenya’s Pledged Force is now prepared and ready to join hands with others from the rest of the East African region to execute their mandate in accordance with the African Union’s timelines. The President encouraged Eastern African countries to increase their contribution to the regional standby force to meet continenta
Interestingly, former President Kibaki, whom Uhuru succeed never put on military gear in his ten years in office.
The president who was earlier in a suit assented into law the County Revenue Allocation Bill 2014, before he stepped out of State House in full military jungle regaliasuit complete with white boots and a five starred military cap.
His new outfit had his name inscribed on it on the right shoulder while the left shoulder had the words C IN C meaning Commander in Chief.
There is a strongly held perception that military is equivalent to power.It is also associated with military rule.Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has been a darling of military uniform
