Brig Jeff Nyagah has taken over as the Sector Two Commander of the Amisom Kenyan troops in Somalia.
He took over from Brig Paul Njema in a brief ceremony in Sector II headquarters in Dhobley Somalia.
The Department of Defence said Brig Njema was the commander of the ninth Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) contingent operating under Amisom and Brig Nyagah will oversee the operations of the tenth Amisom KDF contingent.
Brig Njema noted that the KDF troops had successfully degraded al Shabaab in the area and called for further degradation of their capabilities to secure Somalia and the region.
Brig Nyagah pledged to continue conducting surgical offensive operations against the al Shabaab in order to stabilise the operating environment.
“We are in high spirits and committed to achieving peace and stability in Somalia in line with the Amisom mandate,” he said.
He added his contingent will further enhance interoperability between the KDF troops and the Somali Security Forces by working together in conducting various operations against al Shabaab.
He also noted that the tenth contingent will initiate various Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) projects to stabilise the operating environment and impact positively on the lives of the local populace.
KDF went to Somalia in October 2011. Kenya's incursion into southern Somalia started after the kidnapping of two Spanish women, who were working for MSF at the Dadaab refugee camp.
The abductions were carried out by the militants who the troops planned to push away under
Operation Linda Nchi. Two years later, the troops managed to take control of Kismayo port under Operation Sledge Hammer.
Meanwhile, former Chief Instructor and Deputy Commandant Recruits Training School (RTS) in Eldoret Colonel Meshack Kishoyian is the new commander of the Multiagency operation in Boni forest code-named Operation Amani Boni (OAB).
He takes over from Colonel David Chesire who has held the OAB Command since July 2019.
The handover ceremony that took place at the Multiagency command centre included a briefing on the progress of the operation as well as a tour of selected Multiagency Forward Operating Bases within the Boni enclave.
Since the revision of the operation from the Boni enclave campaign to Operation Fagia Msitu and later Operation Amani Boni, the command was designated to KDF as the lead agency.
Colonel Kishoyian will head a team of multiagency bosses drawn from all Kenyan security agencies, whose troops operate under OAB.
OAB has continued to strengthen security within areas of Lamu, Tana River and Lower Garissa, significantly enhancing the livelihood of residents as well as suppressing al Shabaab operations.
