COMMANDER KENYA ARMY HANDS OVER MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLIES AT IJARA HEALTH CENTRE

The Commander Kenya Army Lt Gen Walter Koipaton handed over assorted medical equipment and pharmaceuticals to Ijara Health Centre and Masalani Sub-County Hospital in Garissa County as part of Civil Military Cooperation efforts in the ongoing Multi-Agency Field Training Exercise.

In his speech, the Army Commander expressed his gratitude to the locals for their continued support to the Multi-Agency effort in combating Al Shabaab in the Boni enclave. The Commander also emphasized that the Kenya Defence Forces was assisting locals in the area as mandated in the Constitution of Article 241 (3) (b).
“The KDF as mandated by the constitution of Kenya 2010, has its primary role which is to defend and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic, and a secondary role to assist and cooperate with other authorities in situations of emergency or disaster,” said the Army Commander.

Lt Gen Koipaton also told the area residents that the construction of a new primary school at Kolbio, an ablution block at Kolbio mosque, a drift and culvert at laggah Gabaya and Garabey respectively were about to commence. He also assured the area residents that KDF medical staff would tentatively assist in providing medical care to locals at Ijara Health Centre.

Speaking during the function, Senator Hon. Abdul Haji, Deputy Governor Hon. Abdi Dagane and Ijara Member of Parliament Hon. Sophia Abdi were appreciative of the continued support from the KDF in providing security and social amenities such as improvement of road infrastructure, renovations of educational facilities, provision of water at Hulugho and Sangailu, provision of medical camps at Sangailu, airlifting of patients to Kenya Navy Manda Base for medical attention, donation of desks at Sangailu among other projects in other areas of the county. The leaders further urged local residents to cooperate with KDF and other security agencies in the Boni enclave to curb insecurity.

KDF donated among other assorted medical equipment and drugs: maternity beds, patient beds, blood pressure machines, pulse oximeter, examination set, alongside drugs for common disease like for malaria and long term illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.

The Field Training Multi-Agency Exercise has brought together Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the Counties of Tana River, Lamu and Garissa, all within the Boni enclave in a bid to exercise security agencies to effectively operate in a Multi-Agency framework.

General Officer Commanding (GOC) Eastern Command Major General Ayub Matiri GOC Western Command Major General Joseph Kivunzi, Chief of Training Defence Headquarters Brigadier Abdullahi Rashid, Kenya Army Headquarters Chief of Training Brigadier Benedict Mzee, Kenya Army Headquarters Chief of Operations Brigadier Ngugi Muhindi Commander Operation Amani Boni Col Meshack Kishoyan among other officers, area leaders and residents were present during the occasion.