Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has clarified recent statements regarding the establishment of security training facilities in bandit-prone regions, dismissing claims that he intends to relocate the renowned Kiganjo Police Training College.
Speaking on Tuesday, December 30, Murkomen explained that his proposal involves creating practical training grounds in high-risk areas rather than moving existing institutions.
"I tried to explain that recently, and someone said that I plan to relocate Kiganjo and take it to my region in Marakwet. That is not what I meant," Murkomen clarified.
The Interior CS outlined plans to establish security training grounds in areas affected by banditry, including Kerio Valley, West Pokot, and Baringo County, which would serve as practical training sites for police officers.
"We want to establish security training ground in Kerio Valley, West Pokot and Baringo. So that when our officers go for training at Embakasi A, Embakasi B, Kiganjo, they can after classes, go for practicals in Kerio Valley, the hard zones," Murkomen said.
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He emphasized that the proposed facilities would allow officers to gain hands-on experience in addressing real security challenges in volatile regions.
"The practicals will be done on ground, on the danger prone areas where there are challenges, bandits, like Turkana, West Pokot and the others," he added.
Murkomen also revealed that Kiganjo Police Training College is set to be elevated to a university campus as part of broader reforms in security training.
"The President has said we will be establishing a police university, and Kiganjo will be one of the campuses for the university," he disclosed.
The CS noted that the upgrade is informed by concerns that the current nine-month training period for police officers is insufficient.
"We want to upgrade Kiganjo to a campus because I have been told training an officer for 9 months is not enough, there needs to be continuous training," Murkomen explained.
The proposal to establish security training facilities in Kerio Valley is part of a comprehensive strategy to maintain peace in the region, which has historically been affected by banditry and cattle rustling.
Government plans include setting up permanent security installations in the area, featuring both operational bases for specialized police units and training facilities comparable to Kiganjo Police Training College.
"As part of the efforts to ensure the peace we are seeing now becomes permanent and lasting, we shall be establishing permanent security installations of different kinds; an operational base for some of the formed units and a training ground. Just as people go to Kiganjo, they must also come to Kerio," Murkomen had earlier stated.
The Interior CS made these remarks during a visit to the Todo KDF Camp in Kolowa subcounty, Baringo County, where he met officers deployed under the multi-agency Operation Maliza Uhalifu.
He was accompanied by Deputy Inspector-General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat, Deputy Inspector-General of the Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli, and other senior government officials.
