Internal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has announced security measures the government has put in place to protect Kenyans during this year’s festive season.
Speaking on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, during a press briefing, Omollo stated that the government has set up a multi-agency security team that will enforce the measures.
The team consists of the National Police Service under the Inspector General of Police, the national government administration office, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Coast Guard Service, the Private Sector Security Regulatory Authority and the National Disaster Operations Centre.
The PS stated that the multi-agency team has been meeting to ensure safety of Kenyans is they go about their business during the festive season.
“We do recognize that this season is a time that is marked with increased travel, celebrations in places of worship, social gatherings in shopping malls and recreational spaces, outdoor entertainment events and heightened local and international tourism activities,” he stated.
Trends that require vigilance
He highlighted various trends that requires vigilance from the public during the festive season, among them being petty offences such as pickpocketing and mugging in crowded areas.
Burglaries that happen at homes, car breaks in villages and traffic violations such as drunk driving, overloading and over speeding of PSV vehicles were also highlighted as trends that require vigilance from the public.
“Road traffic accidents remain a leading cause of injuries and fatalities in our country yet these accidents are caused by preventable human factors due to non-compliance with traffic rules and regulations,” Omollo said.
FESTIVE SEASON SECURITY PREPAREDNESS
To ensure the safety of all citizens and visitors this festive season, Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo @ray_omollo has announced that a robust, multi-agency security plan is now in effect with security enhanced at our airports, border… pic.twitter.com/NBFZ2pv2O6
— Ministry of Interior | Kenya (@InteriorKE) December 4, 2024
Security measures
Omollo announced key security measures that have been put in place by the multi-agency team to ensure safety during the festive season.
“As a multi-agency team, we have put in place a number of security measures to ensure that the security and safety of all citizens and visitors during this festive period. These measures include enhanced security coverage at the entry and exit points including our airports and boarder crossings, hotels, public beaches and tourist sites, critical infrastructure installations and Central Business Districts in major urban centres as well as places of worship and entertainment venues,” Omollo said.
He further noted that the team has heightened traffic control to address reckless driving, overloaded vehicles and unlicensed PSV vehicles.
The government has also deployed additional traffic police officers to be on the roads to ensure free traffic flow.
In terms of operational coordination, PS Omollo said that the government will activate a national multi-agency command centre at the Lang’ata barracks, to be supported by the regional multi-agency command centres as well as county command centres.
