The imperative for coordinated multinational responses has never been greater as the security landscape across the East African region grows increasingly complex. Transnational threats such as terrorism, piracy, cyber insecurity, organised crime, and climate-induced disasters continue to test the resilience of national institutions and underscore the strategic necessity of regional cooperation. In this evolving environment, no single nation can effectively address emerging threats in isolation, making interoperability, shared preparedness, and institutional trust essential pillars of collective security.
With this realization, military, police, and civilian personnel from across the East African region convened in Nairobi for the successful conclusion of the 14th Exercise Ushirikiano Imara 2026, a multinational Command Post Exercise (CPX) designed to strengthen regional readiness in Peace Support Operations, Counter Terrorism, Counter Piracy, and Disaster Response.
With the closing ceremony held at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, the exercise brought together participants from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, South Sudan, and the Federal Republic of Somalia, reflecting the East African Community’s growing commitment to collaborative security architecture.
Presiding over the closing ceremony, Cabinet Secretary for Defence Hon. Soipan Tuya reaffirmed the strategic value of regional cooperation in confronting evolving threats facing the East African region.
She observed that the East African Community continues to demonstrate that collective action is no longer optional, but an operational necessity in safeguarding regional peace, security, and prosperity.
“The East African Community continues to demonstrate that cooperation is not merely an aspiration, but a strategic necessity. By training together, planning together and responding together, we deepen interoperability, strengthen institutional trust and reinforce the solidarity necessary for the security and prosperity of our region,” said Hon. Tuya.
Chief of the Defence Forces, General Charles Kahariri, commended participants for their professionalism, discipline, and commitment throughout the exercise, noting that the training had significantly enhanced multinational coordination, strengthened command and control mechanisms, and reinforced trust among regional security institutions.
He emphasized that modern security threats are increasingly interconnected, requiring integrated solutions anchored in sustained collaboration, joint preparedness, and shared operational understanding.
“Modern security threats require joint solutions and sustained regional collaboration. Exercises such as Ushirikiano Imara continue to strengthen our collective preparedness and ability to respond effectively to regional challenges,” said General Kahariri.
Also speaking during the ceremony, General Officer Commanding Central Command and Exercise Director, Major General John Maison Nkoimo, noted that the successful execution of the exercise reflected the growing maturity of regional defence cooperation and the strategic importance of continued multinational training in enhancing operational readiness.
Beyond conventional military preparedness, the exercise highlighted the growing relevance of a multidimensional approach to peace support operations, bringing together military, police, civilian, and humanitarian actors in realistic scenario-based planning.
Through simulated crisis management, civilian protection planning, crisis communication drills, and joint decision-making exercises, participants strengthened their collective capacity to respond to complex emergencies requiring synchronized action across institutions and borders.
Exercise Ushirikiano Imara 2026 reaffirmed the East African region’s shared commitment to building resilient, interoperable, and responsive security institutions capable of addressing both traditional and emerging threats.
As regional challenges continue to evolve in scale and complexity, such multinational engagements remain critical force multipliers in advancing peace, stability, and collective security across East Africa.
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