A UK-funded Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) has been opened in Kenya, designed to provide a dedicated space to work on terrorism cases.
The facility is the first HQ for anti-terrorism in the country. Kenya is said to be the UK’s premier security partner in East Africa, having supported the ATPU with various activities such as training on terrorist financing, witness interviews, IEDs, gender sensitivity and the Training of Trainers programme, in recent years.
The police station, located in Mombasa, will allow direct access to the ATPU for the public, designed to create more awareness about the work being carried out to strengthen the local community relationship.
The station features a secure detention facility with separate cells and private ablution amenities for men, women and children, said to ensure international human rights compliance.
For those working in the ATPU, there are dedicated spaces for investigations, evidence analysis and forensics, as well as a multi-agency room to invite and collaborate with other national security bodies and international partners. A training room is also available, and the UK will continue to provide specialist skills training support to the team.
The British High Commissioner to Kenya, Jane Marriott, said: “Kenya is the UK’s premier security partner in East Africa. A primary focus of this partnership is to strengthen counter-terrorist capacity within the criminal justice system, in line with international human rights standards. The UK works with stakeholders across the criminal justice pathway, including investigators, detention supervisors, prosecutors and judiciary, all of whom are key to preventing and disrupting terrorist activity.
“Terrorism is one of the biggest threats facing our countries. To counter this threat, I am delighted to support Kenya with approximately KES 1bn [£7m] a year.”
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