The NPS was selected as the ideal institution to carry out the pilot program owing to its nature of operations.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s move to turn to lease instead of buying aimed at boosting the capacity of the police service and other agencies came as leasing firms, financiers, and car dealers cashed in.
“This is a big milestone in ensuring police mobility and safety in their duties,†he stated at the time.
Aside from the usual Toyota Land Cruisers, the NPS also got monster trucks customized for specific missions aimed at ensuring the safety of the officers when out on duty.
The Outer Ring Road Overpass at GSU-Thika Road is one of the places where one is likely to run into these mammoth trucks as they drive in and out of the GSU headquarters.
Armored Personnel Carriers or APCs are a common sight on the busy intersection hard to miss them considering their sheer size known to bring traffic to a standstill.
The NPS has several Chinese NV4 armoured vehicles, (APC models) that are designed to drive special unit officers into danger zones safely.
The Chinese NV4 armoured vehicle product line includes mission-specific variants for police SWAT and special response teams; anti-riot and civil disturbance response, bomb response MedEvac/ambulance and high-level personal VIP protection.
These custom-made vehicles provide lifesaving armor in barricaded suspect callouts, high-risk warrants and active shooter scenarios.
Some of the trucks have been retrofitted to handle any form of riots within the country. They have been fitted with a Long-Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) that can effectively address crowds in excess of 1,000m away.
President Uhuru also secured several Mine Resistant Armoured Personnel (MRAP) carriers that were deployed to the Coast and North Eastern regions in Kenya.
Notably, the Chinese Chinese NV4 armoured vehicle came under serious criticism when it was ripped apart in Rhamu, Mandera.
The car was patrolling within Elwak area when it was hit by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device). The three AP officers inside survived the attack.
The armoured vehicles were part of a police upgrade programme estimated to cost Ksh12 billion.
The acquisition of the sophisticated hardware for the police for the first time was meant to stem frequent terrorist and banditry attacks.
The vehicles have been distributed to personnel in the General Service Unit, Rural Border Patrol Unit, and Rapid Deployment Unit for use in Baringo, Baragoi, Lamu, Garissa and Mandera, all areas classified as unsafe, paving way for security operations.
Vehicle leasing is fast gaining currency in Kenya, with investors who opt for the model spared the headache of raising upfront cash.
On May 29, 2020, former U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter delivered 10 Toyota Hilux pickup trucks to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC)
The donation was made by the United States Department of Defense US Africa Command (AFRICOM) in coordination with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Source: KENYAGIST.COM
