Nairobi — President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged Kenyans to reflect on sacrifices made by the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) personnel in guarding Kenya ahead of the August polls.
Speaking Friday during the KDF Passing out parade at the Recruits Training School in Eldoret, President Kenyatta praised the recruits for their diligence and commitment during the grueling 9-month training.
He called on the new KDF cohort to protect the country's sovereignty and guard the legacy bequeathed to them by their predecessors and adhere to all the norms and values as prescribed in the oath of allegiance.
"Your pass out elevates you to a place of esteem in our society. With that high privilege comes heavy and demanding responsibilities. To succeed in your military career, you must be willing to sacrifice to put Kenya and the service above self, and to commit to uphold with fidelity the golden reputation of our defense forces," the head of state said.
He added that over the last nine years, his administration has undertaken what he termed "the most consequential and expansive modernization of the military" in effort to enhance their operational capabilities.
The President noted that the move has been informed by the recognition of the importance of peace and security to the realization of the country's development agenda.
"We have done this by tooling and retooling our military, addressing the welfare of our military officers and all the security organs in the possibility of our nation and by investing heavily in the training and skills development," he said.
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The Head of State said that his administration had gone further to enact a law that creates a safeguard for their employment and facilitates the integration of anyone incapacitated or severely wounded in the course of their duties.
President Uhuru Kenyatta further lauded the military for its role in the revival of Kenya Meet Commission and turning it into a profit-making enterprise in record time and the Kenya Shipyards Limited, renovation of Uhuru Gardens, and the Nairobi Metropolitan Service.
While thanking the military personnel for their sacrifices, President Kenyatta said that over the years, he has been forced to make difficult decisions that have sometimes cost the lives of the security officers operating within and out of the country saying the country's forces deserved to be honored.
