•Present were officials from Kenya Revenue Authority, Immigration, Kenya Airports Authority, National Police Service and those from interior.
•Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai said ongoing multi-agency has stopped major crimes and sharing of intelligence had enhanced many issues.
The multi-agency approach in managing the borders in the country is bearing fruit and should be embraced.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said since the approach was embraced, different forms of crimes including terrorism, human trafficking, smuggling cross border crimes among others have reduced.
He added there is coordinated sharing of intelligence among agencies involved in the management of the borders hence a stable country.
He said border management is sensitive and will be handled carefully as he ordered that all agencies involved in the area be trained.
Matiang’i said the issue will be escalated to the Cabinet to make it mandatory for all managers in government to undergo training on border management is sensitive.
“We will assist in the management of the borders to grow it bigger. This will among others be escalated to the Cabinet to make it mandatory for all managers to be trained in this area,” he said.
He made the remarks Wednesday in a speech read by Interior Chief Administrative Secretary Hussein Dhado during the unveiling of the Kenya Coordinated Border Management Programme and Facilitator’s Manual.
The CS said there should be free and safe movement of people and goods at borders for growth of all and reminded the managers they are the first in line of defence and hence must get everything right.
Present were officials from Kenya Revenue Authority, Immigration, Kenya Airports Authority, National Police Service and those from interior.
Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai said ongoing multi-agency has stopped major crimes and sharing of intelligence had enhanced many issues.
“We have had increased consultations, information sharing and increased utilization of resources hence a secure system,” he said.
Director of immigration services Alex Muteshi said they have come up with many border stations which have enhanced movements and hence rooted out criminals.
Commissioner General of KRA Githii Mburu said strategy where border control and enforcement operations in the country were undertaken by different organisations working in an uncoordinated manner became inefficient over time due to multiple threats like transnational organised crimes.
These crimes include trafficking of wildlife species especially those listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), economic threats (through illicit trade) and terrorism exacerbated by corruption among other challenges.
He said the role of border control has come a long way and is presently to enhance National Security, public safety, economic security, environmental and revenue protection.
“The inception of the coordinated border management approach after the establishment of the Border Control and Operations Coordination Committee (BCOCC) through the Security Laws (Amendment) Act, 2014, was a major milestone in the Kenya’s Border Management Strategy.”
“The Border Management Committees (BMCs) at the border areas have been instrumental in living to the true spirit of the Multi Agency Approach,” he said.
This has increased efficiency in border management, revenue collection, enhanced informationnsharing, fight against illicit trade, and enhanced national security and public safety.
Mburu said a study conducted between October 2019 and February 2020 by the Anti Counterfeit Authority, the government revenue lost through illicit trade in 2018 stood at Sh102.99 billion up from Sh101.23 billion in 2017.
“The illicit flows were a threat to the Big 4 agenda, protection of our local industries as well as protection of Kenyans from harmful and counterfeit products.”
But through the multiagency framework, KRA with other agencies (DCI, ACA, KEBS, Public Health and ODPP) jointly under the Multi-Agency Taskforce (MATT) conducted operations to curtail illicit trade inflows which has borne fruits.
The taskforce set up multiagency patrols, continuously mounted roadblocks, carried out joint verifications at various customs entry points, impromptu raids on shops and factories suspected to produce or stock substandard goods as well as patrolling our porous borders.
In 2018, goods worth Sh7.5 billion were confiscated by the taskforce, most of which have been destroyed, he added.
He said the development of the curriculum is therefore another landmark in enhancing efficiency of border control officers from across all the agencies.
“Officers will get an in-depth understanding of their roles in managing the borders as well as appreciate the roles undertaken by other officials from other border agencies.”
KRA is fully involved in coordinated border management activities through participation in surveys of potential land borders and Inland Border Control Checkpoints (IBCCs), installation of baggage scanners in OSBPs and construction of dog kennels in Namanga, Wilson Airport, Moyale and other areas.
Government organisations with officials stationed at Kenya’s borders/points of entry and exit and members of the BCOCC include police, Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the Immigration Department, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), KRA, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), KAA, Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) and National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC), among others.