The Chief of the General Staff of the United Kingdom, General Sir Roland Walker, paid a courtesy call on the Chief of the Defence Forces, General Charles Kahariri, at Defence Headquarters in Nairobi as part of his familiarisation tour aimed at strengthening defence cooperation between Kenya and the United Kingdom.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the two defence leaders to review the longstanding military partnership between their respective forces and explore avenues for deepening strategic collaboration. Discussions focused on enhancing joint training initiatives, strengthening institutional capacity building, and expanding areas of operational cooperation in response to emerging regional and global security challenges.
As part of the visit, General Walker also visited Headquarters Kenya Army, where he held discussions with the Commander Kenya Army, Lieutenant General David Ketter. The engagement focused on strengthening military-to-military collaboration, particularly in the areas of training, capacity building, and operational readiness.
Both leaders highlighted the enduring partnership between the Kenya Defence Forces and the British Army, noting that joint training initiatives continue to enhance professionalism, interoperability, and operational preparedness of the two forces. General Walker commended the strong cooperation between the armies, while Lieutenant General Ketter reaffirmed the Kenya Army’s commitment to further strengthening collaboration through continued training engagements and knowledge exchange.
Additionally, General Walker led a high-level delegation on a strategic visit to Kenya Navy Base Manda Bay in Lamu County. The delegation received a briefing on the prevailing security situation within the Boni Forest enclave, where the KDF continues to conduct sustained counter-terrorism operations aimed at neutralising militant threats, dismantling hostile networks, and consolidating security along the Kenya–Somalia border.
The delegation also toured the Combined Joint Interagency Task Force, a trilateral operational platform established under the Kenya–UK–USA defence cooperation framework. The platform integrates intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to enhance situational awareness and support coordinated joint operational planning, including direct operational support to Operation Amani Boni and maritime security along Kenya’s coastline.
The visit concluded at the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), The engagements here highlighted the continued partnership between Kenya and the United Kingdom in advancing peace support training and strengthening international cooperation in peace operations.
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