Police to get Sh20 billion to boost ability on air, ground

President William Ruto is shown how a drone is operated during the opening of the Border Police Hospital in Kanyonyo, Kitui

President William Ruto is shown how a drone is operated during the opening of the Border Police Hospital in Kanyonyo, Kitui County on February 23, 2023.

Photo credit: PCS

The government will allocate Sh20 billion towards improving the National Police Service’s air and ground capabilities.

President William Ruto said this will be done through an elaborate programme geared towards improving officers’ efficiency in doing their work.

“I have already asked the Minister for Interior to work with the Inspector-General of Police on a modernisation programme that will see the government spend an extra Sh20 billion to improve both land and air facilities and equipment for our police service to be able to deliver on their mandate,” President Ruto said during the official opening of the level four Border Police Hospital in Kanyonyo, Kitui county.

If implemented, the plan will respond to some of the concerns raised by police officers in their submissions to the task force on police and prison reforms.

The 130-bed hospital was built at a cost of Sh100 million raised through contributions made by Administration Police officers, some as low as Sh50. The hospital will offer specialised medical services including critical care to officers and their families and will also be available for use by locals.

It is located inside the Border Police Training Campus, Kanyonyo which trains specialised police units of the Administration Police Service amongst them the Special Operations Group, the Camel Unit, the Advanced Tactical Operations Urban Rural formation and the Rapid Deployment Unit.

“When I saw what the men and women in this campus [are doing], it gave me a lot of confidence that the future of our country is in safe hands and the continuous training of our specialised units is going to guarantee [our security],” added President Ruto.

Sufficiently resourced

The government, said the Head of State, acknowledges that for the police to do their jobs, they must be sufficiently resourced aside from being provided with other forms of support.

“I want to commit that, going forward, we will continuously enhance the resources available to professionalise, train and equip our security officers to ensure they secure lives, interests, property and the prosperity of our nation,” Dr Ruto said.

The President ordered the Ministry of Transport to complete the construction of the Kanyonyo airstrip that will be used to ferry supplies to the officers, evacuate those needing specialised treatment and deploy tactical units, Dr Ruto further directed the Ministry of Sports to fast-track the completion of a sports complex for use by the officers and the local community.

The facility is the first police hospital to be opened since independence. It shall play a key role in attending to the needs of the officers involved in Operation Maliza Uhalifu North Rift as well as the specialised units involved in border security and counter-terrorism operations in the North Eastern region.

“Besides this hospital, we have two other medical facilities that are almost complete; the National Police Hospital in Mbagathi and the Kenya Prisons Hospital in Ruiru,” Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki revealed.