President Uhuru Kenyattta awards University Charter to National Defense College

President Uhuru Kenyatta awards University Charter to National Defense College

Dorothy Michieka

May 28, 2021 9:24 AM

The military institution becomes the first specialist university in the country

President Uhuru Kenyatta

President Uhuru Kenyatta has awarded a charter to the National Defence College, making the military institution the first specialist university in the country under the Universities Act of 2012.

The new National Defense University-Kenya (NDU-K) will offer graduate and post-graduate training to local and foreign, military and civilian leaders on current and emerging security challenges.

Speaking during the award ceremony at the institution in Karen, Nairobi County, the President said NDU-K will fortify the country's defence forces and improve their skills in military and civil diplomacy.

Besides training military leaders, the President said NDU-K will lay the foundation for the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) to contribute more to internal civil needs such as humanitarian response.

“As you know, our country has suffered a lot from terrorist attacks in the past few years; not to mention the threats posed by transnational organized crimes and intra-state conflicts.

"Physical attacks are not our only threats; there are virtual threats to our security as well such as cyber-warfare and hostile takeover of state electronic systems,” the President said.

The Head of State assured of the Government's commitment to supporting NDU-K meet its training, research and service goals.

At the same venue, the President presided over the graduation ceremony of 55 senior military officers and civil servants from Burundi, Malawi, Nepal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Kenya, and delivered a public lecture in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defense Forces.