The Ministry of Interior has rolled out a leadership training program for over 8,000 chiefs and assistant chiefs, aimed at enhancing their capacity and improving public service delivery.
Administered by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, the initiative aligns with President William Ruto’s commitment to modernizing and reforming the security sector, ensuring it meets current challenges and aligns with the BETA framework.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen officially inaugurated the training for the first cohort of 1,000 officers from all 47 counties, part of a larger group of 8,102 officers at the National Police College Embakasi ‘A’ Campus.
The intensive three-week course aims to equip participants with paralegal and security management skills, enabling them to address emerging issues and enhance coordination of government services at the grassroots level.
The CS highlighted that some officers are participating in the training after 25 years of service, a development stemming from feedback gathered during the counties’ security tours, popular as ‘Jukwaa la Usalama’.
Officers who successfully complete the training will receive immediate promotions, addressing long-standing delays in compliance with Public Service Commission (PSC) requirements.
“It’s unbelievable that the last time chiefs and assistant chiefs attended a course of this kind was in 2018. We are therefore, not only launching a training course; we are making a new chapter in how we govern and secure our country from the grassroots up,” said the CS.
He further noted, “We have also had fruitful engagements with the PSC in ensuring career progression for our officers. This year alone, 87 chiefs and 58 assistant chiefs have been promoted to higher job groups. At the end of this training, we will also be able to process your promotions as well.”
The CS expressed surprise upon discovering that some chiefs and assistant chiefs have not undergone training since 1983.
“This induction, paralegal and security management training is a strategic upgrade of our grassroots administration. The course will empower you with legal knowledge, strategic thinking, and modern security tools,” said Murkomen.
He stated that this training is just the beginning of a broader initiative to retool the National Government Administration.
“More capacity building and welfare enhancement programmes are lined up across our NGAOs and security agencies,” affirmed the CS.
To improve officers’ mobility, the ministry is collaborating with the National Treasury to expand the government vehicle leasing program.
Additionally, the CS introduced Standard Operating Procedures to guide the relationships between NGAOs and the recently established National Government Administration Police Unit (NGAPU).
The CS also announced the distribution of thousands of uniforms for chiefs and assistant chiefs to their respective counties, addressing concerns raised during the Jukwaa Town Hall meetings about the cost of travel to Nairobi for uniform collection and fitting challenges.
“We are optimistic that this will not only boost the morale of the officers but also contribute to an improved image of government mashinani,” the CS stated.
