Francis Muli
The National Assembly has agreed to a plan by the Cabinet that will see Italy use the Broglio Space Centre (formerly San Marco Space Centre) for military purposes in the next five years.
The MPs have already endorsed a report by the Defence and Foreign Relations Committee backing the Cabinet decision which will earn the country Ksh25 every year.
“The committee recommends that the House approve ratification of the agreement between the government of the Republic of Kenya and the government of the Italian Republic on the Luigi Broglio-Malindi Space Centre,” read in part the report by the committee led by Kajiado MP Katoo Ole Metito.
The deal will be reviewed every five years, with a $50,000 (Ksh5 million) increment.
Also, Kenya will benefit from 50 percent of profits of contracts with third parties for commercial services provided by the facility.
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Among the services that will be provided to third parties by the facility include launching services, satellite tracking and telemetry, communication, data acquisition, surveillance and navigation.
Kenya has never benefited from the facility since 1962, due to a pre-Independence agreement.
Unlike previous times when no Kenyan was allowed in senior management of the facility, the new agreement allows a Kenyan to deputise the Italian charged with the overall management of the space facility.
The Italian government has been giving small tokens to Ngomeni community, through the Coast Development Authority.
Under the new partnership, there will be 15 scholarships for Kenyans each at a cost of Ksh2.6 million.
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