Nairobi — The Kenya Navy has stepped up patrols on the Kenyan coastline to stave off maritime threats including terrorism, arms and drugs trafficking.

It is buoyed by a donation of six powerful armoured speedboats worth Sh216 million from the United States to enhance its efforts to police the country's territorial waters.

The vessels - five 25-foot (eight-metre) "Defender" class boats and one 42-foot (13-metre) "Archangel" class boat - along with equipment, supplies and training were turned over to the Kenya Navy on Friday at their headquarters in Mombasa.

US ambassador Michael Ranneberger handed over the boats to Defence minister Njenga Karume at a colourful ceremony also witnessed by the Naval commander Pasteur Awitta and hundreds of navy officers.

Terrorism top on agenda of all security organs

The diplomat said the vessels were crucial in checking illicit activities on Kenyan waters including infiltration by terrorists, smuggling of arms and narcotics in cargo ships.

He lauded the netting of a shipment of cocaine worth billions by authorities, adding it offered lessons on the need to step up surveillance.

Besides, the Navy is pivotal in protecting the vast natural resources at the Coast, which is a source of livelihood to many people, said Ranneberger.

"Our national security policy recognises terrorism as a top item on the agenda of all security organs," said Karume adding that the Government would ensure the coastline is free of terrorists.

He warned that the grim situation in Somalia could trigger a crisis with far reaching ramifications to Kenya.

"The latest developments in Somalia, the attacks on ships and other sea vessels, and the influx of refugees into Kenya are worrying trends. This could greatly affect trade and even damage the country's tourism and shipping industries".

Maritime security a global concern

Incidents of piracy have been reported on the Somalia coastline although they have been on the decline lately as the Islamists stamp their authority.

Currently, 10 suspected Somali pirates are on trial in Mombasa. They have denied that on January 16, they hijacked MV Safina Basarat with 16 Indian crew along the merchant ships' route in the Indian Ocean, off the Somalia coast.

The suspects allegedly hijacked the ship and demanded Sh3.5 million as ransom for the crew.

US marines later rescued the crew on January 21. The captors were flown to Mombasa for trial.

Maritime security is a subject of global concern. According to the latest report from the International Maritime Bureau, there were 127 attacks on shipping vessels globally in the first half of the year.

Concerted action to combat piracy

The report released by the Seafarers Assistance Programme indicated that six crew of various ships were killed by pirates in the first half of this year while 156 others were taken hostage.

"These statistics show the continual need for concerted action to combat piracy and wider threat of terrorist attacks on shipping," said the Seafarers Assistance Programme national coordinator, Mr Andrew Mwangura.

The "Defender" boats, which are among the fleet used by the United States Coast Guard, are 25 feet in length, capable of 40 knots, powered by twin outboard motors.

They can be armed with pintle-mounted machine guns or grenade launchers.

The "Arch-angel" is more powerful in comparison and can attain a maximum operating distance offshore of 150 nautical miles.

High alert in coastal towns

Awitta said the boats would serve a variety of missions aimed at enhancing maritime security by combating terrorist threats, drugs, arms and human trafficking.

They would also be used for humanitarian missions such as search and rescue in light of cases of drowning of divers and fishermen.

Similarly, the vessels could come in handy in enforcing the government's ban in August of trawling so as to protect dwindling fish stocks at the Coast.

The Naval vessels will check the illicit activities of foreign trawlers to ensure that they did not go beyond their designated areas below eight nautical miles.

According to the US embassy, the project would supplement the Government's efforts to boost patrols along its Indian Ocean coastline.

The state of the art vessels come in the wake of the government's announcement to boost land and sea patrols near the Somali border and put the Navy and port officials on high alert in coastal towns.

Ban on military aid partially lifted

The increased surveillance followed latest developments in Somalia, where a powerful Islamist movement is rapidly expanding its territory, sparking a confrontation with the weak transitional Government that is based in the provincial town of Baidoa.

Washington has accused the Islamic Courts Union of having links to terrorists - a charge they have dismissed.

Perhaps these concerns might have prompted the US government to partially lift the ban on military aid to Kenya, which was effected a year ago.

The freeze was occasioned by Nairobi's refusal to sign an international commitment law granting immunity to US personnel who might be charged with war crimes at the International Criminal Court.

Fears over unrest in Somalia

Kenya is still adamant but it welcomes the US assistance to stock its Naval arsenal.

Locally, there are growing fears that the unrest in the Horn of Africa nation makes its coastline a fertile ground for terrorists and lawlessness.

In the past, Kenya has borne the brunt of brutal terror attacks that have claimed hundreds of lives with the latest atrocity being on Paradise hotel at Kikambala in Mombasa four years ago.

Last week, the Islamists, who seized Mogadishu in June from US-backed warlords after months of fierce fighting, took the key southern port of Kismayo, only 150 kilometres (90 miles) east of the Kenyan border.

They have vowed to fight the proposed deployment of a regional peacekeeping force, the vanguard of which is to gather in Kenya on the Somali border.

Proliferation of small arms

Somalia has not had a central government since 1991when largely clan-based warlords toppled dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other.

The government is not taking any chances in view of the fact that the country shares a long coastline with the war torn nation.

Last Saturday, Mombasa District Commissioner Mohammed Maalim said the Government had ordered the Navy, Kenya Ports Authority and the Marine Police to monitor all shipping in Kenya's territorial waters.

Citing the current insecurity in Somalia, Maalim said only ships authorised to ply the country's current 200 nautical miles limit would be allowed in Kenya's territorial waters.

Maalim admitted that the failure to police the 600 kilometre coastline was to blame for the proliferation of small arms in Kenya.

The vessels are a boost to the operations of the navy, which suffered a setback two years ago when the procurement of a combat ship hit a snag.

Controversial purchase of Naval ship

The controversial purchase of a Sh4.2 billion Naval ship in June 2003 that was due to be delivered at the end of June 2005 did not materialise.

The procurement deal became the subject of investigation by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) after former British High Commissioner Sir Edward Clay listed it amongst the suspicious procurements involving internal security.

However, Department of defence public relations officer, Bogita Ongeri, defended the purchase of the Kenya naval vessel, saying it was crucial.

"The procurement of this ship is necessary, as it will bridge an operational capability gap in order to guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the republic of Kenya," he said in a press statement.

Reports indicated this month that the ship deal, which had been awarded to Euromarine Industries, could become a subject of an international court tussle at The Hague, between the Government and the company.