Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has moved to clear the air over remarks he made on the establishment of security training facilities in areas affected by banditry, firmly dismissing suggestions that the government plans to relocate the Kiganjo Police Training College.
Addressing the issue on Tuesday, December 30, Murkomen said his comments had been misinterpreted, stressing that the intention is not to move existing institutions but to introduce practical training grounds in high-risk regions.
“I recently tried to explain this, but some people concluded that I want to move Kiganjo to my home area in Marakwet. That was never my intention,” he said.
The Interior CS explained that the government is planning to set up security training grounds in bandit-prone areas such as Kerio Valley, West Pokot, and Baringo County. These facilities would be used to give officers hands-on experience after completing classroom-based training at institutions such as Embakasi A, Embakasi B, and Kiganjo.
“Our aim is to have training grounds in Kerio Valley, West Pokot and Baringo, so that officers can go for practical training in the hard zones after their lessons,” Murkomen noted.
He added that the approach would allow officers to train directly in volatile environments where security challenges such as banditry are prevalent, including parts of Turkana and West Pokot.
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Murkomen also disclosed that Kiganjo Police Training College is set to be upgraded into a university campus under wider reforms in police training.
“The President has directed that a police university be established, and Kiganjo will be among its campuses,” he said.
According to the CS, the upgrade is driven by concerns that the current nine-month police training period is inadequate, pointing to the need for longer and continuous professional development.
“I have been advised that training an officer for just nine months is not sufficient. There must be ongoing training, which is why we want to elevate Kiganjo,” he explained.
The proposed training facilities in Kerio Valley form part of a broader government strategy to entrench long-term peace in regions historically affected by banditry and cattle rustling. Plans include the establishment of permanent security installations, combining operational bases for specialised units with training facilities similar to those at Kiganjo.
Murkomen reiterated that the goal is to ensure lasting stability in the region, noting that officers should be able to train both at Kiganjo and in challenging environments such as Kerio Valley.
The remarks were made during a visit to the Todo Kenya Defence Forces camp in Kolowa Sub-county, Baringo County, where the CS met officers deployed under the multi-agency Operation Maliza Uhalifu.
He was accompanied by senior security officials, including Deputy Inspector-General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat, Deputy Inspector-General of the Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli, and other government leaders.
