Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced the decentralisation of uniform distribution for chiefs and assistant chiefs, ending a decades-old system that forced administrators to travel to Nairobi for official attire.

Speaking at the National Police College, Embakasi A Campus, on Friday, August 15, 2025, Murkomen said thousands of uniforms have been dispatched to all 47 counties, a move aimed at easing financial and logistical constraints for grassroots officers.

“This has been a major complaint in our Jukwaa la Usalama engagements across the country. Chiefs and assistant chiefs have had to travel to Nairobi at great cost and inconvenience. Today, we have flagged off thousands of uniforms to counties, marking the decentralisation of issuance,” Murkomen said.

The event was attended by senior officials, including Internal Security PS Raymond Omollo, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, and Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli.

Training revival

Murkomen used the occasion to address long-standing concerns over stagnation and lack of training among chiefs and assistant chiefs. He noted that some officers have gone up to 25 years without formal training, while the last significant exercise in 2018 left many excluded.

“Despite their critical role in enforcing security and delivering services, many officers have stagnated in the same job group without the necessary skills upgrades,” he said.

The ministry has rolled out a rapid training programme targeting over 8,000 chiefs and assistant chiefs by December 2025, starting with an initial cohort of 1,000 officers. The programme includes induction, paralegal, and security management courses, aligning with the Kenya Kwanza manifesto’s pledge to build civil servant capacity.

Strengthening grassroots governance

Alongside the training, Murkomen unveiled standard operating procedures to guide the relationship between National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs) and the newly established National Government Administration Police Unit (NGAPU).

He further pledged to improve mobility and office infrastructure for local administrators, emphasising their role in fostering social cohesion, resolving disputes, and tackling challenges such as illicit alcohol and gender-based violence.

“We must rededicate ourselves to the core functions of grassroots leadership. Chiefs and assistant chiefs remain a vital link between government and the people,” he said.

The decentralisation move fits within the 2010 Constitution’s devolution framework, which seeks to empower local governance and streamline service delivery. Officials at the event described the reforms as a long-overdue step toward efficiency and improved welfare for officers in remote areas.