The National Assembly has approved regulations to establish the National Peace Support Operations Fund, which will provide support for Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) peacekeeping missions and operations.
This is after the House adopted a report of the Committee on Delegated Legislation, which considered the Public Finance Management (National Peace Support Operations Fund) Regulations, 2023.
The purpose of these regulations will be to create the National Peace Support Operations Fund, into which the government is expected to contribute about Sh1 billion.
Currently, Kenya contributes troops to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Committee on Delegated Legislation chairperson Samuel Chepkonga, said that prior to the promulgation of these regulations by the Treasury Cabinet Secretary, funds related to the participation of Kenyan troops in various missions were always paid from the Consolidated Fund.
“It has been very difficult for the Ministry of Defence to support the operations of our troops in those countries because we have to appropriate money paid to the Consolidated Fund to the peace missions we participate in,” said Chepkonga who is also the Ainabkoi MP.
Chepkonga further said that the fund will also help streamline the peace keeping process and address the operations in which Kenyan troops are involved.
“Therefore, the regulations establish the National Peace Support Operations Fund so that the government contributes or allocates Sh1 billion to the Fund. Also, there will be an amount of Sh6 billion received from the United Nations for the participation or salaries paid to our participating troops,” he said.
The creation of the fund will not only ensure that the equipment supplied by the government to its troops are in good working condition but also enable Kenya to receive payment for the period in which its troops are deployed.
Chepkonga noted that most of the countries that have contributed troops to peace missions send their troops with brand new equipment.
“One of the things the United Nations pays for is the equipment contributed to peace missions. If the equipment remains unserviceable, it will not be paid for during the period in which it remains idle.
“This means that the country will be losing revenue it would have received if we had equipment in good working condition available to our troops,” he added.
In addition to supporting the troops with modern and functional equipment, the fund will be used to ensure that they are paid salaries for the duration of their deployment.
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