The national government’s “Jukwaa la Usalama” initiative, led by Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen has been credited with improving security, enhancing public service delivery, and fostering economic development.
Murkomen held a series of grassroots engagement forums across the 47 counties.
Through town hall meetings and collaborations with local leaders, the program aimed to address region-specific challenges, from gang violence and illicit alcohol to resource conflicts and inadequate infrastructure.
It brought together senior national government officials, local leaders, and citizens to discuss security and service delivery challenges.
Officials toured counties in the North-Eastern, Central, Coast, Nyanza, and Western regions, to assess local conditions and implement targeted solutions.
Murkomen on Insecurity and Enhancing Border Control
In the Northeastern region, a major focus was on containing cross-border threats, human trafficking, and inter-clan conflicts.
Murkomen lauded the collaboration between multi-agency security teams and community members for warding off terrorism threats from Somalia.
To combat human trafficking and smuggling, an operation on the Moyale side was set to be extended to Wajir to dismantle criminal networks.
In Mandera, the forums led to agreements to establish additional administrative units to enhance security and improve housing for security personnel.
Officials also promised to enlist and train more National Police Reservists (NPRs), giving priority to border counties once a process to revamp their role and welfare was complete.
Western Region
In the Western region, the initiative targeted the deeply rooted menace of gangs and political goons, a problem prevalent in both rural and urban areas of Kakamega County.
A special security team was set to be deployed to reinforce regional efforts to dismantle these groups.
“We will deploy a special security team to reinforce the regional team in dismantling gangs and goons in the Western Kenya Region,” Murkomen said.
In Vihiga County, the focus was on a severe marijuana use problem that had led to a high prevalence of mental health conditions.
Officials announced a crackdown targeting major drug traffickers supplying the county and planned to engage students and university administrations in the fight.
“I have directed our administration officers in the county to intensify barazas to sensitize Wananchi against drug use and to spearhead a shift in perceptions on the use of drugs that, unfortunately, has been normalized in the community,” he said.
Murkomen stated that the Ministry will enhance collaborative efforts to address drug and substance abuse, as well as other security and service delivery challenges in Bungoma.
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Nyanza
Meanwhile, in Nyanza’s lakeside counties, the presence of the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) had reportedly improved security on Lake Victoria and reduced smuggling.
However, harassment of Kenyan fisherfolk by security forces from a neighboring country remained a concern.
In response, Murkomen announced plans to increase KCGS personnel, procure more modern boats and equipment, and engage in bilateral talks with Uganda to promote sustainable fishing practices.
“Among other issues, we discussed security for fisherfolk in Lake Victoria and expediting the establishment of a Kenya Coast Guard Service station in Usenge,” Murkomen said.
In Kisii, Murkomen addressed illicit brews and drugs, Sexual abuse of children, misuse of boda boda riders by politicians, and land-related deaths.
Improving Access to Government Services
A key objective of the Jukwaa la Usalama tours was to improve citizens’ access to essential government services. Officials consistently assessed civil and ID registration exercises in the counties visited, leading to concrete commitments.
For example, in Mandera County, where civil registration services were only available in 5 of 12 constituencies, Murkomen pledged to open registries in all sub-counties by the end of the year.
Similarly, in Garissa, registries were slated to be opened in the three remaining constituencies without within six months.
The government also fast-tracked reforms to make identity services more inclusive, such as scrapping authentication fees for birth certificates when applying for IDs and passports and abolishing extra-vetting requirements for border communities.
In Nyamira, the piloting of Live Capture Unit technology had reportedly boosted ID registration, allowing applicants to receive their cards in under a week.
“Our deployment of Live Capture Unit technology in all the sub-counties will further increase ID registration services in the county, which is one of the largest in the country. Other reforms include the scrapping of fees for first-time ID applicants and authentication charges for birth certificates while applying for passports and IDs,” he said.
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Economic Development
Throughout the forums, Murkomen emphasized the intrinsic link between security and development.
In historically marginalized regions like North-Eastern Kenya, major infrastructure projects were seen as the key to lasting peace.
The ongoing construction of the 750km Isiolo-Mandera highway was expected to open up the area for investment, trade, and improved security.
In Siaya County, which has significant economic potential in agriculture, mining, and the blue economy, ongoing infrastructure projects, such as modern markets, roads, and port facilities, are expected to unlock further growth.
In Kisii County, where land pressure had fueled conflict, the government promoted affordable housing projects and the relocation of the main prison to free up land for development.
“The county is generally calm and peaceful. From our Jukwaa la Usalama engagements today, however, it emerged that pressure on land has engendered family and community conflicts. The high number of murder cases being witnessed in the county is largely attributable to the problem,” he said.
These initiatives were part of a broader commitment to strengthen governance and development across all counties, ensuring that peace and prosperity went hand in hand.
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