Public banned from police pass out parade in Nairobi

Relatives of police cadets and the public have been banned from Monday's passing out parade following heightened terrorist threats.

The National Police Service College Embakasi A campus (Administration Police) and B campus (General Service Unit) issued the orders on Wednesday.

The officers are to graduate on November 29.

“Staff and other officials, who would wish to attend must wear their respective uniforms,” the directive read.

Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai visited the Administrative Police Service to review the parade ahead of the passing out.

The 2,610 recruits, including 2,215 men and 395 women, will be a major asset to the National Police Service, Mutyambai said.

"The revised training curriculum forms a great basis of professionalism. We have trained them to become people-centred police officers," the IG said. He spoke after returning from a regional police meeting in Algeria.

Police operations have been heightened following terrorist threats.

Last week, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i warned Kenyans to brace themselves for more security checks within vital facilities, as the government heightens security across the country.

These will include airports and railway stations.

The CS said despite the re-arrest of three convicts who escaped from Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, the country was yet to get out of the woods. All three were imprisoned on terror-related charges.

They are Musharaf Abdalla Akhulunga, Mohamed Ali Abikar and Joseph Juma Odhiambo.

“I need to caution the public that we are in an unusual space because of what is happening around us. Please let us be very careful and watchful,” the CS said.

Abikar was charged and convicted in 2019 for his links to al Shabaab and for abetting the Garissa University College attack of April 2015 that left 148 people dead.

Odhiambo was arrested in 2019 for trying to join the Somali terror group.

Akhulunga was arrested in 2012 over a foiled attack on Kenya’s Parliament and charged with possessing explosives, ammunition and firearms.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)