Fanfare as Sh4 billion warship arrives

Kenya’s largest and most sophisticated battleship has sailed into Mombasa amid pomp and fanfare rolled out by the military.

KNS Jasiri docked at the Mkunguni Navy yard on Wednesday, concluding a 20-day journey from Spain and ending the controversy that has lingered since 2003 when its acquisition was initiated.

The warship was among the controversial Anglo Leasing projects exposed by former Governance and Ethics permanent secretary John Githongo but was later cleared by Parliament. (READ: House team approves Sh2.8bn for navy ship)

Appropriately named Jasiri (Kiswahili for bold), the Sh4.6 billion vessel is expected to spearhead efforts to secure the country’s territorial waters and help in the planned sea-based military incursions to liberate the Somali port town of Kismayu from the Al-Shabaab.

Somalia role

Certainly proud of the acquisition of the warship, Kenya Defence Forces declared that KNS Jasiri’s arrival had boosted KDF’s capacity to defend the country and role within African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom).

“Jasiri has capabilities and capacities that we did not have. If there are some people out there thinking they can come to our waters and worry us.

"Let them know that things can get very tough for them,” warned Gen Julius Karangi, Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces.

Though Gen Karangi and the KDF top brass declined to divulge details of the ship’s capabilities, sources at the Department of Defence had earlier told the Nation that the ship is fitted with long-range cannons, missile launchers, machine guns and sophisticated radar and communications systems.

“It is actually the best among warships owned by navies in this part of Africa with the exception of South Africa,” a military official, who cannot be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media told the Nation at Mkunguni.

Sea traffic at the Kilindini Harbour was halted for some time as the grey warship with the Kenyan flag emblazoned on its twin chimneys slowly made its way past the Mtongwe Navy Jetty on its way to Mkunguni, escorted by a fleet of other Navy ships and patrol boats.

It blared its horn in acknowledgment of a salute from Gen Karangi at the jetty as Kenya Air Force fighter jets simultaneously made their deafening fly-pasts.

An Air Force helicopter with the banner bearing the words ‘Karibu Jasiri’ (Welcome Jasiri) followed as the military personnel on the ground saluted.

The celebrations later shifted to Mkunguni where prayers were made for the safety of the ship and its crew. Maj-Gen Ngewa Mukala, the Navy Commander, alongside the Kenya Air Force Commander, Maj-Gen Joff Otieno and Lt Gen J.K. Kasaon, Army Commander, attended the occasion.

History and controversy

Also present were members of the parliamentary Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations Adan Keynan (chairman), Charles Kilonzo, Wilson Litole, Mohamed Hussein Ali and Martin Ogindo.

Gen Karangi said the history and controversy that had dogged the acquisition of the battleship was a thing of the past and Kenyans should now take pride in being the owners of a vessel loaded with cutting edge-technology.

“The history of Jasiri is known to Kenyans and all manner of things have been said and happened concerning Jasiri since 2003.

“It is not our intention to go back in time, this is not the time to say this and that about Jasiri. Suffice it to say that we have acquired this ship to use in the defence of our country,” he said.

He said KDF’s engagement in Somalia under Amisom would continue until security was fully restored in the Horn of Africa country.

“We are fully and actively engaged in Somalia and will not come out until the country is secured. We are on the homestretch,” he noted.

Mr Keynan said his committee fully backed the efforts to upgrade the military.