There’s a monetary discrepancy concerning how much money is required to keep the Kenya Defence Forces troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The budget presented by the Ministry of Defence has the bulk of the Sh4.451 billion going towards operations and maintenance (Sh1.99 billion), procurement of equipment (Sh1.42 billion) and ammunition (Sh1.03 billion).
In terms of the financial implications of the deployment, the grand total budget stood at Sh4.45 billion which is Sh601.87 million above the Sh3.85 billion in the memorandum to the National Security Council on the matter.
It was easy for Aden Duale, CS Defence to whisk away the discrepancy by stating,’ that the discrepancy emanated from changes effected on the budget after a reconnaissance visit to the area in question that necessitated a change of strategy’.
The expenditures will mainly go towards equipment, operations and payment of sustenance allowances.
Salaries will cost taxpayers (Sh1.04 billion), sustenance allowance (Sh1.04 billion), kitting (Sh80 million), arms (Sh24.7 million) and major equipment (Sh286.6 million).
The longer the troops stay fighting against our neighbours in the DRC, the least cost it becomes, the Ministry explained.
If the Kenyan troops stay for one year, the cost implication will be approximately Sh7.2 billion. In case the troops stay on, the annual cost implication will be approximately Sh5.5 billion to Sh6 billion.
Article 240 (8) of the Constitution of Kenya and the KDF Act require that Parliament approves any deployment of troops out of Kenya.
And with numbers in parliament and Ruto being a god over, the mission will go through.
It will be the most insane peacekeeping mission by moral, geopolitical and strategic standards.
By going for the peacekeeping mission, Nairobi is accusing Kigali, Kampala and parts of the larger DRC controlled by rebels and some government officials of subverting justice.
Rwanda and Uganda are Kenya’s best-trading partners.
As soon as Ruto was sworn in, Kenya troops that had been sent by Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime were abruptly recalled. But the arm-twisting from the UK and US meant that Ruto will have to fight a war against his best friends, something that does not sit well with him and with his future security in the region.
It is something dangerous for Kenya as we use some of these airspaces. We are also at war (physical and trade) with the Somalia govt and rebels.
Uganda far much presents a real and present danger to te young president as they’ve been accused in the past of taking out John Garang of South Sudan.
But as things roll out, it appears officials at the Defence ministry would rather ‘die’ with their pockets full.
Defence contracts and budgets are never questioned.
