Kenya is eyeing a new American policing style as Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja travel to New York to borrow lessons ahead of the establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit.
In a statement on June 2, CS Murkomen outlined Kenya’s plan to establish the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit to address evolving and increasingly complex security challenges in the capital and surrounding areas.
According to the Interior CS, the new unit is designed to strengthen security, maintain public order, counter emerging criminal threats, and improve overall safety across Nairobi and its satellite towns.
“As one of Africa’s fastest-growing metropolitan centers, Nairobi has in recent years faced evolving and increasingly complex security threats. In response, we are establishing the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit, a strategic intervention to bolster security, maintain public order, combat emerging criminal threats, and ensure overall safety in the city and its satellite towns,” Murkomen noted.
Murkomen Leads Talks with NYPD on Intelligence-Led Policing
Murkomen noted that Kenya is studying best practices from leading metropolitan police services as part of preparations for the unit’s rollout.
He confirmed that discussions were held with New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch on a proposed memorandum of understanding between the Kenya Police Service and the NYPD.
Also Read: Murkomen Announces When New Nairobi Police Unit Will Be Operational
Further, he detailed that the talks focused on cooperation in intelligence-led and community-oriented policing, technology integration, specialized urban operations, emergency response coordination, and crime prevention strategies.
“We are taking these lessons and best practices back home as we gear up for the establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit.” Said Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, who is leading the team.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit is a specialized security formation being established to enhance urban policing and coordinate law enforcement efforts across the Nairobi Metropolitan Area.
“Our goal is to build a modern, professional, and technology-driven police unit capable of effectively responding to emerging security threats and safeguarding our City and its environs,” added Murkomen.
Kenya Launches New Nairobi Security Unit as Major Policing Overhaul Takes Shape
Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit was officially made operational on May 1, 2026, following a directive issued by President William Ruto on February 16, 2026, ordering Kipchumba Murkomen to establish the unit within 60 days to address rising insecurity in the capital.
Also Read: President Kenyatta applauds Nairobi Metropolitan Service for Good work in Nairobi County
The Interior CS Murkomen later announced on April 10 that the unit would begin operations by May 1, with plans to strengthen coordination and enforcement across Nairobi.
He also confirmed that the structure would adopt a multi-agency framework to improve security response and accountability.
On April 14, former Rift Valley regional police commander Tom Odero was appointed to lead the unit.
He is now responsible for overseeing security operations across Nairobi under the new command structure.
The unit works in collaboration with Nairobi County security teams and is designed to improve coordination among agencies responsible for law enforcement and public safety.
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This is what wastage means. Police in the US train for less than 5 months while in Kenya, it is 8months. Murkomen and Sakaja only a 20 minutes session looking at the screens similar to those in Nairobi. Policing is based on the operation environment and culture one cannot copy-past. Out there, the prime responsibility of police is to help people and arrest lawbreakers while in Kenya is arrest, beat, extort and kill.