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29-544: The General Service Unit ( GSU ) is a paramilitary wing (i.e. Police Field Force ) in the Kenya Police Service , consisting of highly trained police officers, transported by seven dedicated Cessnas and three Bell helicopters . Having been in existence since 1948, the GSU has fought in a number of conflicts in and around Kenya, including the 1963 – 1969 Shifta War and the 1982 Kenyan coup . The objectives of

58-528: A grassy region that is flat and virtually treeless. During the rainy season, this area floods, so that much of it becomes swampland with various channels of deep water running through it. The Anuak who live in the lowlands of Gambela are Luo people . These have accused the current Ethiopian government of encroachment. The government's oppression has affected the Anuak's access to education, health care, and other basic services, as well as limiting opportunities for

87-729: A paramilitary is, by definition, not a military , it is usually equivalent to a light infantry or special forces in terms of strength, firepower, and organizational structure. Paramilitaries use combat-capable kit/equipment (such as internal security / SWAT vehicles ), or even actual military equipment (such as long guns and armored personnel carriers ; usually military surplus resources), skills (such as battlefield medicine and bomb disposal ), and tactics (such as urban warfare and close-quarters combat ) that are compatible with their purpose, often combining them with skills from other relevant fields such as law enforcement , coast guard , or search and rescue . A paramilitary may fall under

116-792: A thickly forested area as a defence against attacks from Bantu neighbours who had already settled there. This self-imposed isolation helped them maintain their language and culture amidst Bantu and Ateker communities. Those who went further a field were the Jo k'Ajok and Jo k'Owiny. The Ajok Luo moved deeper into the Kavirondo Gulf; their descendants are the present-day Jo Kisumo and Jo Karachuonyo amongst others. Jo k'Owiny occupied an area near Got Ramogi or Ramogi hill in Alego of Siaya district. The Owiny's ruins are still identifiable to this day at Bungu Owiny near Lake Kanyaboli . The other notable Luo group

145-436: Is no 'O' company. Each company consists of three platoons and the company headquarters personnel. Originally a platoon consisted of 30 personnel but nowadays a platoon can have as many as 60 members. Paramilitary A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934. Though

174-652: Is regulated under chapter seven of the National Police Service Standing Orders. Originally, GSU members were drawn from the existing ranks of the Kenyan Police force, were from a number of ethnic backgrounds, and were trained in the Kenya Police College and placed on a two-year tour of duty. However, with the increase of Africanisation in 1963, the majority of members were by 1967 from native Kenyan tribes such as

203-672: Is the Omolo Luo who inhabited Ugenya and Gem areas of Siaya district. The last immigrants were the Jo Kager, who are related to the Omollo Luo. Their leader Ochieng Waljak Ger used his advanced military skill to drive away the Omiya or Bantu groups, who were then living in present-day Ugenya around 1750AD. Between about 1500 and 1800, other Luo groups crossed into present-day Kenya and eventually into present-day Tanzania . They inhabited

232-620: The Bahr el Ghazal area in the early centuries of the second millennium AD (about eight hundred years ago). A further division within the Northern Luo is recorded in a "widespread tradition" in Luo oral history : the foundational figure of the Shilluk (or Chollo) nation was a chief named Nyikango , dated to about the mid-15th century. After a quarrel with his brother, he moved northward along

261-690: The Luo or the Kikuyu who total 5.9 million, equal to about 13% and 7.4 million, equal to about 22% of Kenya's total population , respectively. Most recently, all GSU members have been trained at the GSU-specific Training School in Embakasi and its Field Training Camp in Magadi , on 10-month-long courses, with further 5-month long courses required for promotion. As with various branches of

290-555: The "Luo proper" by Kenya based observers, even though their dialect has more Bantu loan words than the rest. The level of historical separation between these groups is estimated at eight centuries. Dispersion from an alleged Nilotic core region in South Sudan is presumed to have been triggered by the turmoil of the Muslim conquest of Sudan . The migration of individual groups over the last few centuries can to some extent be traced in

319-628: The 18th century, other Luo-speaking people moved to the area that encompasses present-day South Sudan, Northern Uganda, and North-Eastern Congo (DRC) – forming the Alur , Jonam and Acholi . Between the middle of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, some Luo groups proceeded eastwards. One group called Padhola (or Jopadhola - people of Adhola), led by a chief called Adhola, settled in Budama in Eastern Uganda. They settled in

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348-438: The GSU actively engages in anti-poaching operations, helping preserve Kenya's natural heritage by combating illegal wildlife activities. The unit is also involved in escort duties, ensuring the safe transportation of valuable assets or personnel. The GSU plays a pivotal role in tackling banditry and cattle rustling, addressing security concerns in rural areas and safeguarding communities from armed criminal activities. Furthermore,

377-668: The GSU fought the secessionists during the Shifta War . During the 1990s, the GSU worked in central Kenya to quell socialist political unrest and demonstrations against the Kenyan government, such as the Saba Saba Day (7 July) celebrations of 1990, where 30 people were killed as the police and General Service Units took action. More recently, in July 2005, troops of the GSU were sent to northern Kenya to seek out those responsible for

406-456: The GSU serves as a reserve force, specifically tasked with managing special operations and civil disorders, offering crucial support when required. The functions of the GSU are diverse and integral to ensuring the security and stability of Kenya. Firstly, they are responsible for providing security to His Excellency the President and safeguarding state houses and lodges, ensuring the safety of

435-596: The General Service Unit (GSU) of the Kenya Police are explicitly stated to address various aspects of internal security within the republic. Firstly, the GSU aims to handle situations that impact the nation's internal security, encompassing a broad range of potential threats. Secondly, it is designed to function as a dynamic operational force, emphasizing its role in dealing with evolving challenges rather than being relegated to static duties. Additionally,

464-554: The General Service Unit in September 1953. The newly designated GSU consisted of 47 European officers and 1,058 Africans divided into 5 regional companies each consisting of a number of 39-man platoons. In 1957, the unit was re-organised and all the companies were brought under one commander, a S. G. Thomson. In 1961, the unit deployed outside Kenya for the first time to deal with civil unrest in Zanzibar , and then from 1963 until 1969

493-554: The Kenyan armed forces, the GSU also sends its officers to Great Britain to be trained in such facilities as the Britannia Royal Naval College and Sandhurst . The GSU is organised in companies each under a company commander. Four of these companies have commanding officers and they are regarded as the 'big four'. These are: The other 23 companies have Officer Commanding (OC), and are listed in alphabetical order starting from 'A' company to 'Y' company. There

522-513: The Nile and established a feudal society. The Pari people descend from the group that rejected Nyikango. The Anuak are a Luo people whose villages are scattered along the banks and rivers of the southwestern area of Ethiopia, with others living directly across the border in South Sudan. The name of these people is also spelled Anyuak, Agnwak, and Anywaa. The Anuak of South Sudan lives in

551-666: The area of Bunyoro . These Luo settled with the Bantu and established the Babiito dynasty, replacing the Bachwezi dynasty of the Empire of Kitara . According to the legends, Isingoma Mpuga Rukidi (Grandson to Labongo), the first in the line of the Babiito kings of Bunyoro-Kitara , was the twin brother of Kato Kimera, the first king of Buganda . These Luo were assimilated into the Bantu's society and lost their language and culture. Later in

580-688: The area on the banks of Lake Victoria . According to the Joluo , a warrior chief named Ramogi Ajwang led them into present-day Kenya about 500 years ago. As in Uganda, some non-Luo people in Kenya have adopted Luo languages. A majority of the Bantu Suba people in Kenya speak Dholuo as a first language and have largely been assimilated. The Luo in Kenya , who call themselves Joluo ("people of Luo"), are

609-441: The command of a military , train alongside them, or have permission to use their resources, despite not actually being part of them. Under the law of war , a state may incorporate a paramilitary organization or armed agency (such as a law enforcement agency or a private volunteer militia ) into its combatant armed forces. Some countries' constitutions prohibit paramilitary organizations outside government use . Depending on

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638-487: The deaths of 76 people, 22 of them children, at a school in the area. The GSU helped prevent further friction between feuding Gabra and Borana communities when they were transported to the region by two police and two military helicopters, as well as two ministers from the Kenyan government. Currently, the GSU has around 5,000 paramilitary troops, of which 2,000 are the Israeli -trained and battle-hardened 'Recce group'. It

667-487: The definition adopted, "paramilitaries" may include: Luo (family of ethnic groups) The Luo groups in South Sudan include the Shilluk , Anuak , Pari , Acholi , Balanda Boor , Thuri and Luwo . Those in Uganda include the Alur , Acholi , Jonam and Padhola . The ones in Kenya and Tanzania are the Joluo (also called Luo in Kenyan English). The Joluo and their language Dholuo are also known as

696-611: The development of the area. The Acholi also spelt Acoli, another Luo people in South Sudan, occupy what is now called Magwi County in Eastern Equatorial State. They border the Uganda Acoli of Northern Uganda. The South Sudan Acholi numbered about 10,000 on the 2008 population Census. In the 1500s, a small group of Luo known as the Biito-Luo (Paluo), led by Labongo encountered Bantu-speaking peoples living in

725-644: The fourth largest community in Kenya after the Kikuyu , Luhya and Kalenjin . In 2017 their population was estimated to be 6.1 million. In Tanzania they numbered (in 2010) an estimated 1,980,000 [1] . The Luo in Kenya and Tanzania call their language Dholuo , which is mutually intelligible (to varying degrees) with the languages of the Alur, Acoli, and Padhola of Uganda, South Sudan and Jo Nam or Alur of Congo. The Luo (or Joluo) are traditional fishermen and practice fishing as their main economic activity. Other cultural activities included wrestling (yii or dhao) kwath for

754-552: The nation's leadership. Secondly, the GSU extends its security services to selected foreign airlines operating within the country, reinforcing international safety measures. Thirdly, the unit takes charge of protecting vital installations and strategic points, safeguarding critical infrastructure and assets from potential threats. Moreover, the GSU is equipped to handle situations involving civil disturbances and riotous mobs, employing appropriate measures to maintain order and protect citizens. In addition to their domestic responsibilities,

783-743: The respective group's oral history . The Luo are part of the Nilotic group of people. The Nilotes had separated from the other members of the East Sudanic family by about the 3rd millennium BC. Within Nilotic, Luo forms part of the Western group. Within Luo, a Northern and a Southern group is distinguished. Dholuo is part of the Southern Luo group. Northern Luo is mostly spoken in South Sudan, while Southern Luo groups migrated south from

812-562: The unit takes on the important responsibility of countering terrorism activities and insurgencies, working to prevent and mitigate potential threats to national security. Initially created as the Emergency Company or Regular Police Reserve in 1948, the GSU began as a unit of 50 men armed with Bren gun carriers and armoured cars and was involved in a number of uprisings including the Mau Mau Uprising before being renamed

841-630: The young boys aged 13 to 18 in their age sets. Their main rivals in the 18th century were the Lango, the Highland Nilotes, who traditionally engaged them in fierce bloody battles, most of which emanated from the stealing of their livestock. The Luo people of Kenya are nilotes and are related to the Nilotic people. The Luo people of Kenya are the fourth largest community in Kenya after the Kikuyu and, together with their brethren in Tanzania, form

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