Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has dismissed claims suggesting that the government intends to relocate the national Kiganjo Police Training College from Nyeri to the North Rift as part of measures to tackle persistent banditry in the region.
Speaking on Tuesday, 30 December, Murkomen clarified that while the government has been planning to establish multiple training facilities and schools in the North Rift, including for the police and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), the relocation of Kiganjo Police Training College is not among the plans.
The CS emphasized that the government’s strategy focuses on enhancing security operations in high-risk areas through specialized training rather than moving established institutions. “We have plans to set up training schools in those areas. Actually, what we want is a situation where, after completing training classes at the current training schools, trainees move to these disturbed areas for further training to enhance their expertise and orient them to what actually happens on the ground,” Murkomen explained.
According to the Interior Ministry, the North Rift has been a focus of intensified security operations due to recurring incidents of banditry and cattle rustling, which have disrupted communities and threatened livelihoods. The government’s approach involves setting up multi-agency training centres where security personnel can gain practical, on-the-ground experience in handling these challenges.
Murkomen’s statement aims to reassure both the public and security personnel that Kiganjo Police Training College will remain in its current location in Nyeri, while new initiatives in the North Rift will complement existing training programs. The move underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening law enforcement capacity and ensuring that personnel are adequately prepared to manage security threats in volatile regions without disrupting established institutions.
This clarification comes amid circulating reports that had sparked concerns over potential institutional shifts, highlighting the importance of clear communication regarding government security strategies.