Interior PS Raymond Omollo and senior police officers Masood Mwinyi and Tom Odero during a meeting in Rome /HANDOUT
Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo has led a high-level Kenyan delegation to Rome, Italy, on a benchmarking mission aimed at informing the establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit.
The visit seeks to draw lessons from Italy’s internal security architecture, which is widely recognised for its multi-agency and layered approach to public safety.
Italy’s Ministry of Interior plays a central role in coordinating public security, policing, migration management, public order, civil protection and territorial administration.
During the mission, the delegation will engage with Italian security institutions to understand how Rome manages security in a complex urban environment.
Omollo was accompanied by among others the proposed head of Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit Tom Odero.
The lessons drawn from Rome’s security model will support ongoing government efforts to strengthen urban security and operational coordination in Nairobi through the planned Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit, with the goal of enhancing public safety, crime prevention, emergency response, and service delivery to residents, officials said.
Interior PS Omollo and senior police officers Masood Mwinyi and Tom Odero in Rome /HANDOUT
The teams also plan to visit Tokyo for similar missions amid concerns the models there are different from the Kenya one.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkome, Deputy Inspector of Kenya Police Eliud Lagat and his Administration Police counterpart Gilbert Masengeli and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja last week visited New York and London for similar missions.
The visits come ahead of the establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit, a strategic intervention to bolster security, maintain public order, combat emerging criminal threats, and ensure overall safety in the city and its satellite towns.
As one of Africa's fastest growing metropolitan centres, Nairobi has in recent years faced evolving and increasingly complex security threats.
Rome Police Department officials /HANDOUT
In response, President William Ruto in February directed the establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit (NMPU) to combat insecurity and safeguard economic interests in the city.
The unit, expected to begin operations by July, will focus on smart policing, visible patrols, and mandatory body cameras for officers. Sakaja, however, admitted the timeline set by Ruto may not be achieved.
The proposal is also likely to spark constitutional debate, as policing is currently a national government function under Kenyan law.
Murkomen had praised the progress of establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit, saying he was confident the technical team will come up with a “people-facing command structure.”
He said the Unit will significantly enhance security and public order in the city and its surroundings.
Interior PS Raymond Omollo during a meeting in Rome /HANDOUT
“I am gratified that the team is learning from some of the best metropolitan police units in the world in coming up with the administrative structure, service standing orders and standard operating procedures,” said the CS.
“The Unit will strengthen response to emerging security challenges, improve inter-agency collaboration, and promote cooperation between the police and the public.”
The formation of the Unit follows the cooperation agreement between the national Government and Nairobi City County to make the city and its satellite towns safer for residents, visitors and investors.
Interior PS Raymond Omollo in Rome /HANDOUT
Rome officials /HANDOUT
Interior PS Raymond Omollo in Rome /HANDOUT
Interior PS Raymond Omollo and senior police officers Tom Odero and Masood Mwinyi in Rome /HANDOUT
