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33 Kenyan Soldiers Killed On UN Missions

The Nation (Nairobi)
NEWS
December 7, 2005
Posted to the web December 7, 2005

By Nation Reporter
Nairobi
Kenya has so far lost 33 soldiers on peacekeeping missions around the world,
Chief of General Staff Jeremiah Kianga disclosed yesterday.
Although Gen Kianga did not say exactly when the soldiers were killed, the
country has for the last 26 years provided soldiers to UN peacekeeping
missions.
They are among 1,192 soldiers from all over the world who have been killed
while on peacekeeping missions, he said.
"Because of human nature, even when people are supposed to desist from acts of
violence after seeing armed soldiers, some go ahead, thereby forcing the
peacekeeping troops to fight," he said.
The Chief of General Staff said that about Kenyan 2,000 soldiers were serving
in nine such operations.
"Our soldiers, all of whom are volunteers, are an outstanding example of
dedication and courage in pursuit of the UN goals," he said.
The military boss was speaking at the Department of Defence headquarters,
Nairobi, when he presided over a ceremony in which pupils from 20 city primary
schools presented goodwill messages to Kenyan soldiers abroad.
The children brought more than 2,000 season's cards for the soldiers, some of
which they read. The rest were presented to the peacekeepers through Gen
Kianga.
The CGS called on his officers to maintain a high sense of discipline in and
out of the country and live up to society's expectations.
In particular, he said, they should desist from behaviour that could expose
them to Aids.
However, he said infections had substantially gone down due to sustained
awareness campaigns.
The UN director of the information centre, Mr Eric Falt, commended the role
played by peacekeepers, especially Kenya's.

   

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