Gov't launches rapid leadership training for over 8,000 Chiefs

The government has rolled out a massive leadership training programme for chiefs and assistant chiefs meant to enhance capacity and ensure service delivery to the public.

Through the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, the training is in line with President William Ruto’s commitment to modernise and reform the security sector to align it with the BETA and responsive to the current challenges.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Friday officially launched the training of the first cohort of 1,000 officers drawn from the 47 counties, part of the 8,102 officers at National Police College Embakasi 'A' Campus.

The three-week intense course is expected to equip the trainees with paralegal and security management skills to tackle emerging issues and ensure better coordination of government services at the grassroots.

The CS noted that some of the officers are taking the course after 25 years in service, thanks to the feedback during the counties’ security tours dubbed 'Jukwaa la Usalama'.

The officers who have successfully gone through the training will immediately be promoted, unlocking the delays witnessed over the years in incompliance with the Public Service Commission (PSC) requirement.

"It's unbelievable that the last time chiefs and assistant chiefs attended a course of this kind was in 2018. We are therefore, not only launching a training course; we are making a new chapter in how we govern and secure our country from the grassroots up," said the CS.

"We have also had fruitful engagements with the PSC in ensuring career progression for our officers. This year alone, 87 chiefs and 58 assistant chiefs have been promoted to higher job groups. At the end of this training, we will also be able to process your promotions as well."

He was taken aback when it emerged that there are chiefs and assistant chiefs who have not gone through the training since 1983.

"This induction, paralegal and security management training is a strategic upgrade of our grassroots administration. The course will empower you with legal knowledge, strategic thinking and modern security tools," said Murkomen.

The CS said the training is only the beginning of the retooling of the National Government Administration.

"More capacity building and welfare enhancement programmes are lined up across our NGAOs and security agencies," affirmed the CS.

On his part, Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo acknowledged the critical role of the administrators as an interplay between the government and wananchi, adding that the training is timely owing to the emerging challenges.

"We can all agree that security management begins at mashinani. In fact, no civil servant understands the local security landscape better than government Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs," stated the PS.

Dr. Omollo added that more strategic measures will be undertaken to build the capacity of administrators, whose mandate has expanded over time to encompass a much broader range of responsibilities.

"This is not just an undertaking that is in line with best practice, but also a good gesture by a responsible government that respects labour laws and the career growth of its human resources," he noted.

In order to enhance mobility of officers, the CS said the ministry is working closely with the National Treasury to expand the government vehicle leasing programme.

CS Murkomen later unveiled Standard Operation Procedures guiding the relations between NGOs and the recently formed National Government Administration Police Unit (NGAPU).

The CS also flagged off thousands of pairs of uniforms for chiefs and assistant chiefs to the counties.

The decentralisation is a commitment by the CS during the Jukwaa Town hall meetings, where the chiefs raised concerns on the cost of travels to Nairobi to pick the uniforms and also challenges with fitting.

"We are optimistic that this will not only boost the morale of the officers, but also contribute to an improved image of government mashinani," the CS stated.