Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has dismissed reports that the government plans to move the Kiganjo Police Training College from Nyeri to the North Rift, saying the claims are a misrepresentation of ongoing reforms in police training.
Speaking on Tuesday, December 30, Murkomen clarified that while the government intends to establish new multi-agency training centres in regions affected by insecurity, including the North Rift, there are no plans to shut down or relocate Kiganjo from its current location.
“We have plans to set up training schools in those areas. What we want is a situation where, after completing training at the current colleges, officers move to these disturbed areas for further training to enhance their expertise and understand what happens on the ground,” Murkomen said.
He explained that his earlier remarks had been misunderstood, leading to speculation that Kiganjo would be closed and moved to Marakwet.
“That is not what I meant,” he said. “Someone interpreted it as closing Kiganjo and taking it elsewhere, which is not the case.”
Murkomen said the National Police Service is gradually shifting towards a model where practical training is conducted in real-life settings rather than being confined to town-based institutions, where the main police colleges are currently located.
Separately, the National Police Service has announced changes to its training curriculum, with new recruits now set to receive early exposure to forensics, modern technology and cybercrime detection. Previously, such specialised skills were introduced later, after officers had been deployed to units such as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Kenya’s basic police training is currently anchored in three main institutions: Kiganjo Police Training College for regular police officers, Embakasi A for Administration Police recruits, and Embakasi B, which trains officers for the General Service Unit (GSU).
Other facilities focus on advanced and specialised training. These include the Magadi Police Training College an extension of the Embakasi B campus which emphasises tactical and field-based training for GSU recruits and officers undertaking promotion courses in Kajiado County.
Murkomen also revealed that plans to establish a National Police University are at an advanced stage. Under the proposal, Kiganjo will serve as one of the campuses of the new university, whose charter will be awarded by the President as part of broader reforms aimed at improving professionalism within the police service.
“This idea came from the Jukwaa la Usalama forums, where Kenyans told us that the nine-month basic training we offer is not enough,” Murkomen said. “There must be continuous training to enhance officers’ operational capacity.”
Meanwhile, amid renewed insecurity in the Kerio Valley, the CS said the government plans to involve the Kenya Defence Forces in stabilisation efforts by setting up training facilities in the region.
He added that from January 2026, the government will establish multi-agency training centres in the Kerio Valley to support security operations, boost preparedness and promote long-term peace in the area.