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USA and UNODC to deliver a US$7 million project to modernize the Kenya National Police Service College, main campus in Kiganjo

NAIROBI - This week, U.S. President Joseph R. Biden and Kenyan President William S. Ruto met in Washington, DC, on the sidelines of President Ruto’s State Visit, where President Biden announced USA support to Kenya to modernize and update the Kenyan National Police Service (NPS) College Main Campus in Kiganjo. The United States Government, through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), announced the US$7 million project with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Eastern Africa, to strengthen the police college’s talent development capabilities and physical infrastructure.

“For decades, the NPS Main Campus in Kiganjo has trained and developed outstanding police officers who are at the frontline of the fight against crime in Kenya,” stated Nyale Munga, Commandant of the National Police College-Main Campus Kiganjo. “However, we also recognize that the world is evolving. This project will significantly enhance our capacity to provide high-quality training and uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity to better serve our nation."

The NPS College Main campus in Kiganjo plays a vital role in training police officers to protect and serve communities of Kenya.  It focuses on training new recruits as well as specialises in the training of junior-level managers. However, the outdated and inadequate state of the facilities are a significant challenge to providing world-class education.

“This project represents a significant step towards enhancing the capabilities of the National Police Service College in Kiganjo,’’ said Neil Walsh, UNODC Representative for Eastern Africa. “It will focus on developing skill and will create an enabling environment for these officers to be properly trained, nurtured, coached and mentored. Investing in infrastructure sustains change and will, I have no doubt, have many positive impacts on the society we serve, both as the UN and the Kenya Police Service.’’ 

The project will strengthen the college’s training operations. This includes supporting the college administration to improve knowledge development and talent management. It will also enhance the professional and technical development of the academy instructors, revise, refresh and modernise the course syllabi, to focus on adult learning techniques, and strengthen the existing capacity of trainers and staff.

According to Mr. Kevan Higgins, INL Director for Kenya, the project emphasizes the U.S Government’s commitment to help strengthen law enforcement capabilities in Kenya. "INL is proud to support initiatives that contribute to improve the capacities of law enforcement agencies in Kenya. This project underscores our commitment to promote security and stability in Kenya by strengthening the capacity and capability of Kenya’s oldest police academy and investing in the quality of instruction of police personnel. And, given the strength of the Kenya-United States-UNODC relationship, this is the ideal method to deliver strategic change."

Additionally, the project will facilitate the refurbishment of the infrastructure of the College, which will upgrade the current learning equipment, modernize classrooms, and support the construction of a modern library. The project will also support the College and other select criminal justice entities to improve their communication through the development of proactive, modern and consistent communications strategies to encourage transparency and outreach to the communities they serve.

UNODC has, since the establishment of the Regional Office for Eastern Africa in 1979, been working with the Government of Kenya to strengthen the capacity of its law enforcement officers to better combat transnational organized crime. This project is the next step in our cooperation and will have a real impact in delivering the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework in Kenya and UNODC’s Strategic Vision for Eastern Africa. 

For Media enquiries, please contact:

 Glory Ndaka

Communication Expert

Transnational Organized Crime, Illicit Trafficking and Terrorism Programmes

glory.ndaka@un.org