Kamukunji Police Station picked for Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit headquarters
By Faith Lagat, July 17, 2026The government has selected Kamukunji Police Station as the proposed headquarters of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit (NMPU), as plans gather pace to strengthen security coordination within the capital.
In a statement posted on X on Friday, July 17, 2026, the Ministry of Interior said the station will be transformed into a modern security complex to support policing in Nairobi’s rapidly expanding urban environment.
“Kamukunji is one of Nairobi’s clearest representations of the city’s role as Kenya’s commercial and financial centre but operating within a complex urban security environment,” the ministry said.
It added that the station has been proposed as the headquarters of the new Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit.
Modern security complex planned
According to the ministry, the redevelopment will include operational offices, police housing and the Integrated Command and Communication Centre (IC4).
The command centre will provide real-time coordination, communication and surveillance across Nairobi City County to improve security operations and emergency response.
Secretary for Internal Security Thomas Sakah led a multi-agency technical team to assess the suitability of the site ahead of the project.
The team comprised representatives from the Kenya Defence Forces, the Kenya Police Service, the Administration Police Service, Nairobi City County Government and the State Department for Housing and Urban Development.
The Ministry of Interior said construction of the new facility is expected to begin in August 2026.
The planned headquarters forms part of the government’s efforts to enhance policing in Nairobi, which continues to experience rapid population growth, increased commercial activity and evolving security challenges.
NMPU plans gather pace
On July 1, Murkomen said he had received a briefing from a technical team tasked with developing the operational framework for the specialised unit.
“The Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit will be a model for future policing in Kenya. We must therefore get it right,” Murkomen said.
The meeting brought together Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin, Deputy Inspectors General Eliud Lagat and Gilbert Masengeli, and Nairobi City County Head of Law Enforcement Eva Wangechi.
The specialised unit is expected to strengthen coordination among security agencies operating within the Nairobi Metropolitan Area, with a focus on crime prevention, public order management, protection of critical infrastructure and improved traffic management.
Model for future policing
The government has said the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit will draw lessons from policing models in countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy and Japan.
Officials have undertaken benchmarking visits to study community policing, intelligence-led operations, technology integration and urban security management to inform the structure of the unit.
The project also forms part of broader reforms within the National Police Service aimed at modernising service delivery, strengthening collaboration with communities and improving coordination among security agencies.
Once operational, the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit is expected to serve as a model for metropolitan policing in Kenya, with the Kamukunji headquarters acting as its command centre for operations across Nairobi City County.