He presented the APCs at the GSU headquarters in Nairobi where he explained how the vehicle’s would enable the police to move faster and better when engaging with an enemy.
However the APC are not intended to take part in direct-fire battle, but are specially armed for self-defence and armoured to provide protection from small arms fire used by the enemy.
They are colloquially referred to as ‘battle taxis’ or ‘battle buses’ due to their protective nature and ability to move fast especially towards the enemy.
President Uhuru has made history as he is the first in the history of the country to equip the police with such armoured personnel carriers to help battle the Alshabaab militants who have so far terrorized the country for too long.
The president wrote to say,
I have today commissioned Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) for the Kenya Police Service to enable them to increase their mobility and protective gear when deployed in volatile areas. The purchase of the APCs is a very important milestone as it will go a long way in securing the frontier areas of our country. This way the Police Service will not have to depend on the military or other security agencies for them to perform their duties.
