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Kenya Navy

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Kenyan Navy
Jeshi la Wanamaji
Founded1964; 60 years ago (1964)
Country Kenya
TypeNavy
Part of Kenya Defence Forces
Command HeadquartersMombasa, Kenya
Motto(s)Ujasiri Baharini
EngagementsOperation Linda Nchi (2011-12)
Commanders
Commander-in-ChiefPresident Dr. William Samoei Ruto
Commander, Kenya NavyMajor General Paul Owuor Otieno
Insignia
Naval ensign
Presidential colorPresidential Colour of the Navy

The Kenya Navy is the naval branch of the Kenya Defence Forces. It is headquartered in Mombasa.

Kenya Navy has two major bases for its fleet with it being headquartered in Mtongwe Naval Base, Mombasa and Manda Bay (part of Lamu Archipelago) being the second naval base.[1] The navy also operates naval stations in Shimoni, Msambweni, Malindi and Kilifi. The Kenya Navy fleet is organized into two fighting squadrons and a logistical support squadron, namely the pioneer 66 Squadron, the 76 Squadron and the 86 Squadron all supported by a Special Operations Squadron, the Fleet Maintenance Unit and a newly formed elite Marine Ranger Regiment.

History

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As Great Britain wound down her colonial control in East Africa, the Royal East African Navy (REAN) was established in 1953, covering Kenya Colony, Tanganyika and Zanzibar.[2] Following the disbanding of the REAN in 1962, the East African Railways and Harbours Corporation assumed control of naval operations in the former colonies until the independent states were ready to establish their own navies.[3] The Kenyan Navy was established on 12 December 1964, exactly one year after Kenya gained independence.

In 1976, the Second Squadron, made up of the missile boats KNS Madaraka, KNS Jamhuri and KNS Harambee left Portsmouth to sail to Kenya, arriving later that year. In late August 1976, during the delivery voyage, the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi was approached to request assistance for two of the patrol boats, off the Somali coast and not having "enough fuel to reach Mombasa."[citation needed]

KNS Madaraka out at sea

In 1972, Major JCJ Kimaro was promoted to lieutenant colonel by President Jomo Kenyatta and appointed as the first commander of the Kenyan Navy. He died in a road accident in 1978 and Major General Eliud Mbilu took over command until his retirement in 1988 when Brigadier Joseph Kibwana was promoted to major general.

In 2010 it was reported that the United States Navy Naval Special Warfare Group 4 was assisting the creation of a new Kenyan Special Boat Unit within the Kenya Navy.[4]

On 4 September 2012 the Kenyan Navy shelled the Somali city of Kismayo. This was part of an African Union offensive to capture the city from al-Shabab fighters during the War in Somalia. The harbour was shelled twice and the airport three times. According to a UN report the export of charcoal through Kismayo is a major source of income for al-Shabab.[5]

Commanders of the Kenya Navy

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No. Name Term of office Ref.
Official Portrait Took office Left office Time in office
1 Commander
E. M. C. Walker 		10 Dec 1964 31 Jul 1967 2 years, 233 days
2 Commander
Anthony Allen Pearse 		1 Aug 1967 1 Oct 1969 2 years, 61 days
3 Commander
W. A. E. Hall 		2 Oct 1969 31 Oct 1972 3 years, 29 days
4 Lieutenant colonel
James Collins J. Kimaro 		1 Nov 1972 11 Feb 1978 5 years, 102 days
5 Major General
Eliud Simon Mbilu 		12 Feb 1978 1 Apr 1988 10 years, 49 days
6 Major General
Joseph Raymond Edward Kibwana 		2 Apr 1988 1 May 1998 10 years, 29 days
7 Major General
Aboud Abdalla Rafrouf 		2 May 1998 30 Nov 2001 3 years, 212 days
8 Major General
Pastor Omudho Awitta, MGH, EBS 		1 Dec 2001 26 Jul 2006 4 years, 237 days
9 Major General
Samson Jefwa Mwathethe, EGH, MBS, DCO, 'ndc' (K) 'psc' (UK) 		27 Jul 2006 12 Jul 2011 4 years, 350 days
10 Major General
Ngewa Mukala,

MGH,EBS,DCO 'ndc' (K), 'psc'(K)

13 Jul 2011 10 Aug 2015 4 years, 28 days
11 Major General
Levi Franklin Mghalu,

MGH,MBS, 'ndc' (K), 'psn' (RSA)

11 Aug 2015 11 May 2020 4 years, 268 days
12 Major General
Jimson Longiro Mutai,

MGH, MBS 'ndc'(K) 'psc'(K)

12 May 2020 8 March

2024

4 years, 209 days
13 Major general

Thomas Njoroge Nganga

EBS HSC ‘ndu’ ‘psc'(USA) [6]

8 March

2024

02 May 2024 56 days
14 Major General
Paul Owuor Otieno

EBS ‘ndc’(K) ‘psc'(K)

02 May 2024 incumbent

Fleet

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Current Vessels

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KNS Shujaa and KNS Nyayo during India's International Fleet Review.
  • Jasiri, survey ship and offshore patrol vessel, Gondan shipyard Spain.[7]
Built as a Jasiri Class oceanographic survey vessel at a cost of Sh4.1 billion.[7] Given to Euromarine, a company associated with Anura Pereira, the tender was awarded irregularly, as part of the Anglo-Leasing scandal. Military analysts say a similar vessel could have been built for Sh1.8 billion.[8] Later fitted with armament at the navy's Mkunguni dockyard. Commissioned into the navy on 29 August 2012. It currently is the largest vessel in the fleet. It is 85 meters long, displaces 1400 tonnes, and has a maximum crew of 81.[7]
Former French P400 class patrol vessel La Rieuse. Donated by France for anti-piracy patrols .[9]
  • Shupavu Class large patrol boats, Gondan shipyard Spain.[10]
    • P3129 KNS Shujaa
    • P3130 KNS Shupavu
Built to civilian standards in 1997 and entered service in 1997. Armed with a 76mm and a 30mm gun in Kenya.[11]
Built by Vosper Thornycroft, these are similar to the Omani Province class, and were delivered in 1987.[11][12] Armed with 4 Otomat SSM, 1 76 mm OTO DP, 1 dual 30 mm AA, 2 20 mm machine guns[13] From March 2009 to July 2011 these ships underwent an extensive refit at Fincantieri's Muggiano shipyard in northern Italy, during which their surface-to-surface missile (SSM) systems were removed, drastically reducing the vessels to an OPV configuration.[14] Ships of this class are 57 meters long, displace 450 tonnes and have a crew of 45.[7]
  • Madaraka Class small missile boats
    • P3100 KNS Mamba – classed as Mamba Class
    • (For three other boats see retired Madaraka Class boats below)
Delivered from 1974–1976 (Mamba was delivered in 1976) and built by Brooke Marine along with three others of the class.[15] KNS Mamba has a non-functioning missile system and is currently used as an OPV. Remainder of the class decommissioned[11][16] and placed in reserve status.[13] Formerly armed with 4 Gabriel SSM, 1 dual 30 mm AA.[13]
Built by Construnaves-CEN, Gondan, Spain and delivered in December 1993 from Spain and entered service in 1994.[17][11] Used for logistics.[13] These ships are unarmed and used for amphibious warfare.
  • Archangel class RHIB (jet boat)[18]
    • 1 – 12-metre IPV
Built by SAFE Boats International and donated by the USA in 2006 to reduce gun and drug running.[11]
  • USGS Defender Class RHIB with outboard motors[19]
  • P101 Class IPVs
    • P943
    • P944
    • P945
    • P946
    • P947
These ex-Spanish Navy patrol boats were built by ARESA (Arenys del Mar, Barcelona) from 1978 to 1982 and procured by Kenya in 1995. Each is 12m long, with a top speed of 16kts, and armed with a 12.7mm machine gun.[11]
  • Personnel Tenders
Two built by Cowes in 1998. Each can carry 136 passengers.[11]
  • YTB Harbour Tug
    • KNS Ngamia
Built by James Lamont, Port Glasgow in 1969 for Mombasa Port Authority and transferred to the navy in 1983.

Four 10 Meter Metal Shark RHIBs powered by twin 300 horsepower Yamaha outboard engines. Donated by US Navy in June 2015.

Past Vessels

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The Kenya navy has replaced many older vessels from the navy's early years, mostly transfers from the Royal East African Navy via the Royal Navy.

Donated by the Royal Navy in 1964 and used as a training vessel. It was formerly known HMS Aberford.[12] It was sold for scrap in 1971.
Training craft was retired in 2000.
  • Simba Class patrol crafts (from the UK)
    • P3110 KNS Simba – retired 2000
    • P3111 KNS Chui
    • P3112 KNS Ndovu
These boats were delivered from Britain in 1966. These ships were built by Vosper Thornycroft. KNS Simba was decommissioned in 1997.[20]
  • Madaraka Class missile boats (UK)
    • P3122 KNS Jamhuri
    • P3123 KNS Harambee
    • P3121 KNS Madaraka
These missile boats were delivered in 1976 along with KNS Mamba, and were built by Brooke Marine.[15] KNS Madaraka was decommissioned in 2000, and KNS Jamhuri and KNS Harambee in 2002.[11][16]

Special Operations Squadron

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The Kenya Navy at the turn of the 21st Century took keen interest at developing specialized units within its ranks to handle emerging threats such as terrorism, drug running and piracy. This led to the establishment of a Special Operations Squadron (SOS) to provide an entity similar to the Army Special Operations Brigade (Kenya), that is to provide a unified command structure for its various special units.

The Special Boat Unit (SBU) was built up with assistance from the U.S. Navy through its Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) personnel in 2010 and continues to enjoy joint training exercises with the U.S. military.[21] It is tasked with predominantly patrolling the northern coastline near the Somali border at Kiunga and is based at the revamped Manda Naval Base near Lamu. They are known to possess Defender-Class response boats for rapid high seas interdictions and patrols.

Members of the Special Boat Unit in a simulated mass casualty drill

The Clearance Diving Unit (CDU) formerly known as the Ships Diving Section is an older unit that trains combat divers for the navy. Members are trained in deep sea diving, beach surveying, explosive ordnance disposal and parachute dropping.[22] They are thought to be headquartered at the main naval base in Mtongwe, Mombasa. The Kenya Navy has also taken steps in developing a naval infantry force to supplement the work of these special units,[23] it is assumed that this new force will be modelled along the lines of other naval marines.

Ranks

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Main article: Military ranks of Kenya

The names of ranks in the Kenya Navy are army-style, rather than traditional Royal Navy-derived usage as in the remainder of the Commonwealth.

Commissioned officer ranks

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The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
 Kenya Navy[24]
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant

Other ranks

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The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
 Kenya Navy[24]
 No insignia
Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Senior sergeant Sergeant Corporal Private
(or equivalent)

References

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  1. ^ "Kenya upgrades Manda Bay Station as second naval base, lookout point". 25 September 2021.
  2. ^ Kenya Navy: History Archived 19 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ History of the Kenyan Navy Archived 19 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Whittenberger, Chief Mass Communication Specialist Kathryn. "Naval Special Warfare Assists in Building Kenyan Special Boat Unit." The U.S. Navy. N.p., 10 June 2010. Web. 2 July 2010. <http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=53967>.
  5. ^ "Kenya's navy shells Kismayo in Somalia". BBC. 4 September 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  6. ^ Swearing-in of the Kenya Defence Forces Vice Chief and Service Commanders, State House, Nairobi., retrieved 9 March 2024
  7. ^ a b c d Guy Martin (9 February 2012). "Defence Web".
  8. ^ See also [1]; [2], and "Kenya's Corruption Scandals". Samwagik™. 8 March 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Mer et Marine: "La Rieuse officiellement cédée à la marine kényane"". Mer et Marine. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011.
  10. ^ "Astilleros Gondán :: Patrolboat".
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i Jane's Fighting Ships 2008
  12. ^ a b Daily Nation, Saturday Magazine, 28 August 1999: An introduction to the marine forces
  13. ^ a b c d Kenya
  14. ^ "Jane's: "Kenya (Kenya), The market – Procurement and upgrades"".
  15. ^ a b Google earth placemarks: Kenya Navy[permanent dead link‍]
  16. ^ a b Daily Nation, 7 March 2002: Naval vessels, spare parts to be sold
  17. ^ Kenya Navy: Memorable events Archived 1 July 2007 at archive.today
  18. ^ Archangel Class Archived 20 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ Defender Class Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ Kenya Navy: Online museum Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ Success Of The Kenya Navy And Us Special Forces Joint Combined Training – Ministry Of Defence – Kenya
  22. ^ David, Goodman (11 May 2015). "Kenya Navy Ships Diving Section (SDS) Changes Name to Clearance Diving Unit (CDU)". intelligencebriefs.com.
  23. ^ "Kenya toughens sea warfare team with more marine commandos". nation.africa. 15 September 2020.
  24. ^ a b "KDF Ranks". mod.go.ke. Ministry of Defence - Kenya. Retrieved 9 December 2022.

Further reading

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  • Commander Anthony Pearse (March 2008). From Stormy Seas to Calmer Waters: Sailor at Sea, Salesman Ashore. Brewin Books. ISBN 978-1858584270. "appointed to head a Training team in Kenya whilst on loan to President Kenyatta as Commander in Chief of the emerging Kenya Navy – and in the time of the Cold War finding himself entertaining the Russian Admiral in command of a visiting missile squadron."[3]
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