NAIROBI, Kenya — In a major move to bolster national security and decentralize government services, President William Ruto has announced an ambitious plan to construct 900 new police stations across the country within the next 24 months.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at State House, Nairobi, during the presentation of the Jukwaa la Usalama report.
This comprehensive document, compiled after months of nationwide public engagement, highlighted critical gaps in security and service delivery.
President Ruto emphasized that the primary goal of the initiative is to reduce the distance between communities and law enforcement, noting that accessibility remains a major hurdle for timely emergency response and effective community policing.
“We have agreed that we will build 900 new police stations in the next two years. Some areas are very far away from the nearest police station,” the President stated.
A three-pronged construction strategy
To achieve this target, the government has devised a collaborative construction model:
- Affordable Housing Programme: Will integrate security infrastructure into its projects to build 300 stations.
- NG-CDF Partnership: President Ruto intends to engage Members of Parliament to allocate funds for another 300 stations.
- Ministry of Interior: Will be responsible for constructing the remaining 300 stations.
Beyond physical stations, the President also announced the operationalization of 24 new sub-counties, 88 divisions, and 675 sub-locations within the coming year to ensure administrative services reach remote areas.
Grim reality of current infrastructure
The Jukwaa la Usalama report exposed the dire state of existing facilities, revealing that many government officers operate from dilapidated, condemned, or makeshift structures.
Key findings from the report include:
- Turkana County: Officers in the newly operationalized Lokiriama Sub-County have no office and must work from Loima, nearly 80 kilometers away.
- Marakwet West: The Kaptalamwa Police Station and the local Chief’s office share a cramped, two-room colonial-era building. In a shocking revelation of resource scarcity, the Chief’s office reportedly doubles as a police cell at night.
- Trans Nzoia: Police are operating from stations that have been officially condemned due to a lack of alternatives.
- Samburu: The County Commissioner is squatting in the Civil Registration Services premises because the construction of the county administration block stalled years ago.
To prevent such issues in the future, the report recommended that all major national projects—including roads, universities, and hospitals—must legally include integrated security infrastructure in their design phases.
