Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has now revealed the leadership structure of the newly formed Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit and officially named the officer who will take charge before the unit begins operations on May 1.
Speaking on Tuesday, April 14, Murkomen announced the appointment of former Rift Valley regional police commander Tom Odero as the overall head of the new security unit.
The announcement came shortly after he held a high-level meeting with the technical committee that has been overseeing the formation and operational rollout of the team.
According to the CS, the committee updated him on the proposed chain of command, how the unit will operate, and the final preparations being made ahead of its official launch.
Murkomen explained that the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit will operate under a multi-agency structure, a model aimed at bringing together different security and enforcement bodies under one coordinated system.
This approach is expected to improve cooperation, strengthen law enforcement, and ensure smoother operations across Nairobi and its surrounding metropolitan areas.
He added that the unit is rooted in the cooperation agreement signed between the National Government and the Nairobi City County Government, which was designed to improve service delivery and restore order in the capital.
The formation of the special police unit follows a directive issued by President William Ruto earlier this year, where he ordered that the team be established within 60 days after the agreement signed in February.
The new unit is therefore part of wider security reforms meant to address the unique policing and safety challenges facing Nairobi as the country’s capital and main business hub.
According to Murkomen, the new policing framework is expected to deliver a more responsive, efficient, and accountable security system.
Beyond routine policing, the unit is also expected to improve public confidence, enhance rapid response to incidents, and make the city safer for residents, visitors, investors, and businesses operating within the metropolitan area.
The government believes this will significantly strengthen Nairobi’s image as a secure destination for both local and international investment.
The high-level consultative meeting was attended by top commanders from the National Police Service, among them Inspector General Douglas Kanja, Deputy Inspector Generals Eliud Lagat and Gilbert Masengeli, as well as Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin and other senior government officials.
Their presence highlighted the importance the government is placing on the successful rollout of the new metropolitan security system.
President Ruto has previously maintained that security in Nairobi remains a top national priority, stressing that the government is fully committed to ensuring the city remains safe and stable.
During the signing of the cooperation agreement, he noted that Nairobi must be secure for citizens, visitors, businesses, and investors, describing safety in the capital as non-negotiable.
The announcement also comes at a time when Nairobi’s security leadership has recently undergone fresh changes.
New Nairobi police commander Issah Mahamud recently took over from George Sedah, who was reassigned to head the Western region.
These leadership adjustments are seen as part of broader efforts to align the city’s security command with the incoming metropolitan policing structure.
Another notable operational change ahead of the rollout is the shift in how patrol officers will work within the city.
Under the new arrangements, officers who previously conducted patrols in plain clothes will now be required to wear official police uniforms while on duty.
This move is expected to improve visibility, increase public trust, and reduce confusion during law enforcement operations across Nairobi.
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