NAIROBI,Kenya Dec 1-President William Ruto presided over the graduation of 5,892 chiefs and assistant chiefs at the National Police College, Embakasi ‘A’ Campus, where completed an intensive induction, paralegal and security management course designed to strengthen grassroots administration.
The officers, trained in three cohorts throughout 2025, underwent a rigorous paramilitary programme aimed at sharpening discipline, leadership and operational readiness in line with the government’s push to improve service delivery at the community level.
In his address, President Ruto praised the graduands as the crucial link between citizens and the state, describing them as first responders during emergencies and the most visible face of government on the ground.
He said the revamped course, aligned with the Jukwaa La Usalama initiative, marks a transformative step in enhancing public order and community security.
“We are committed to reforming and professionalizing public administration to make it more efficient and citizen-focused,” Ruto said.
The President noted that chiefs and assistant chiefs are now better prepared to confront modern security challenges, including gender-based violence, drug abuse, defilement, banditry, terrorism and emerging technological threats.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said feedback gathered from nationwide public engagements had guided the government’s decision to realign the administrative structure, with the aim of restoring morale and strengthening accountability among front-line officers.
He said the graduation was a clear demonstration of the government’s sustained efforts to modernize, reposition and reinforce Kenya’s administrative system.
Murkomen emphasized that well-equipped and motivated chiefs and assistant chiefs are central to achieving the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), noting that they serve as the crucial link between national policies and the communities they are intended to impact.
“Our chiefs are more than administrators; they are multipurpose officers who translate policy into action, resolve community issues and uphold unity at the grassroots,” he said.
The ceremony was attended by senior government officials, including Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja,senior police commanders, regional commissioners and heads of key state institutions.
IG Kanja, who joined the President at the ceremony, lauded the successful completion of the programme.
He said the training has equipped NGAO officers with critical skills in community engagement, conflict resolution, paralegal work and intelligence gathering key tools for navigating complex local dynamics and supporting national security efforts.
Kanja also thanked the President for his continued support to the National Police Service, citing financial autonomy, improved housing under the Affordable Housing Programme and the recruitment of 10,000 new officers as major boosts to operational readiness.
