Kenya: President Ruto Hosts King Charles III At Mtongwe Naval Base for Marine Commando Unit Showcase

Britain’s King Charles III (file photo)..
2 November 2023

Nairobi — President William Ruto will host King Charles III at the Mtongwe Naval Base, where a program showcasing Kenya's first Marine Commando Unit, trained by the British Royal Marines, is set to take place.

As Captain General of the Royal Marines, the King, along with The Queen, will receive a ceremonial welcome at the Mtongwe Naval Base. During this visit, Their Majesties will have the opportunity to witness the Kenyan Marines, who were trained by the Royal Marines, demonstrate a covert beach landing, highlighting the tangible results of defense collaboration.

Accompanied by the President and the Commander of the Kenyan Navy, His Majesty will proceed to the dais for a salute by the Guard of Honour, followed by the rendition of both the British and Kenyan national anthems, performed by a military band.

Notably, a 10-strong specialist training team from the Royal Marines' 40 Commando provided intensive training for 26 Kenyan Marines over a span of 12 weeks. The first cohort of the newly established Kenyan Marine Commando Unit (KMCU) successfully completed this rigorous training on May 5.

Furthermore, the Royal Marines were instrumental in designing a 500-meter assault course at the Mtongwe Navy Base, where they shared their extensive knowledge and experience, imparting invaluable skills to the Kenyan Marines.

The ultimate goal is to transform the KMCU into an elite fighting force capable of executing specialized amphibious operations to weaken and disrupt threats within the region.

The Kenyan Navy, established on December 12, 1964, precisely one year after Kenya's independence, operates from two main sites: Mtongwe and Manda Bay.

This partnership with the Royal Navy encompasses various training programs in the UK, as well as deploying training teams to Kenya.

Notably, the Royal Marines stationed at the Mtongwe Naval Base are dedicated to Operation SETWISE. This ambitious initiative aims to create the Kenya Marine Commando Unit over a five-year period, with assistance from the United States.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.