𝐔𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐀𝐋

The UN Intermediate Improvised Explosive Device Disposal is an accredited course by UN ITs led by UNMAS Mobile Training Team.

The course ran for five weeks at the Humanitarian Peace Support School in Embakasi. The chief guest at the closing ceremony was Commandant HPSS Colonel Phyllis Nadio. Also in attendance were Senior Instructor Counter IED wing Lt Col P B Wanga and BPST-A rep Lt Col Jenner.

The course had a total of 14 participants - 5 from Uganda People’s Defence Forces and 9 from the Kenya Defence Forces who successfully met course objectives and qualified as UN Intermediate IEDD Operators.

The qualified participants are mission ready and will be deployed to various IED-prone operations theatres.

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓

The Triangular Partnership Project was one of the outcomes of the September 2014 summit on UN peacekeeping where Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe committed to support the Rapid Deployment of Engineering Capabilities to Peacekeeping missions in Africa. In 2016, the flagship program had its first trainees drawn from the Kenya Defence Forces.

The training encompasses Basic Machine Operation course, Intermediate Machine Operation course, Training of Trainers and Engineer Project Management course. Eight years down the line, the project has seen over 400 trainees qualify at the Humanitarian Peace Support School in Embakasi.

Trainees and their instructor during a demonstration

The project saw a series of events starting with an inspection by the head of the Japanese delegation and UNDP resident representative on Friday, 11 March.

To mark the end of the project, the closing ceremony was graced by the Charge d’affaires embassy of Japan to Kenya Mr. Kitagawa Yasuhisa, Brigadier Saidi, Brigadier J C Sitienei, and Commander Takao Katsumata.

During the closing ceremony, Brigadier Saidi Commander Engineers Brigade reiterated the importance of the course in building capacity for the Kenya Defence Forces. “The structural training that the soldiers undergo at HPSS makes them assets for their own brigades,” he stated.

Lead Instructor Lt. Col Nagami gifting Brigadier J C Sitienei

“The knowledge and skills acquired by the trainees will be very beneficial towards achieving world peace which is one of the end state of this project,” mentioned Brigadier J C Sitienei.

The Basic Machine Operation Course had 35 participants from Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda. Six female trainees were selected to continue with the next stage of training- the Intermediate Machine Operation Course.

For two months now, I have undertaken the basic machine operation course. As a result, I have been selected to continue to the next stage of training- intermediate machine operation course. The skills I have acquired build my confidence in discharging duties assigned to me in the Kenya Defence Forces," Senior Sapper Maurine Njoki Njeru. 

A trainee showing their certificate during the closing ceremony 

A Japanese instructor showing their award during the closing ceremony 

𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆

Disaster communication course participants during a group discussion at PCSS garden in Karen.

The disaster communication and early warning course took place at the Peace and Conflict Studies School, Karen. The one-week course targeted personnel from the County and National Disaster Committees. It drew participants from Garissa County, National Disaster and Management Unit, Kenya Wildlife Service, St. John Ambulance, Ministry of Defence Kenya, Kwale County, Kenya, National Disaster Operations, Kisii County, Kajiado County, and Kenya Red Cross Society.

The aim of the course was to enhance capacity in Disaster Management through a basic understanding of the disaster communication and early warning process at the Community to National level, enhance the communication and interpersonal skills of local emergency managers, planners, and responders for effective public communication.

The course exposed the participants to different communication styles and skills, various communication systems and protocols used in a disaster, how to tailor disaster communication products and templates for diverse audiences, and implement Disaster Communication and Warning strategies for various disaster scenarios.

Elias Mbarare Mpelele, Loitotok Sub County; Department of trade and cooperatives. 

"The disaster communication and Early Warning Course will impact the training I give through outreach programs to a number of people in my sub-county. My educational background is in social services, and I provide support and assistance to particular groups in my community.  By the end of this course, I will be able to distinguish various communication systems and protocols to employ during a disaster. In addition, I will gain knowledge on how to implement strategies for different disaster scenarios."