By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 17 December 2025 - As Kenya enters the festive season, the government on Wednesday announced a robust security strategy aimed at safeguarding citizens and international visitors alike.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja emphasised that while the country’s overall security situation remains calm and stable, but past trends indicate that this period can see isolated increases in criminal activities, traffic violations, and opportunistic incidents.
Dr Omollo noted that the festive period is traditionally marked by heightened travel, busy social venues, and a surge in both domestic and international tourism, creating conditions that require proactive security measures.
IG Kanja added that the National Police Service, alongside other security agencies, has put in place a coordinated plan to ensure public safety and maintain law and order. “Our goal is to ensure that Kenyans and our international visitors can enjoy a peaceful and secure festive season,” he said.
Central to the strategy is the activation of the National Multi-Agency Command Centre (NMACC), which will oversee surveillance, intelligence sharing, and rapid response operations before, during, and after the festive season.
Staffed by officers from the Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, National Intelligence Service, Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forestry Service, National Youth Service, and national government administration, the command centre is complemented by similar coordination hubs at regional and county levels to enhance operational command and control.
These efforts are reinforced by the National Police Service’s festive season operational orders, which guide intelligence-led, coordinated security interventions across the country.
Security presence has been significantly bolstered, with officers deployed to key entry and exit points, airports, border crossings, high-traffic areas such as shopping malls, hotels, public beaches, tourist sites, central business districts, and critical infrastructure installations.
General duty police and specialised units have been stationed alongside officers from the Coast Guard, Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, and National Youth Service, while the Ministry of Defence provides logistical and air support where necessary to address both internal and external security threats.
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Traffic management is also a key focus. In partnership with the Traffic Police Department, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has launched nationwide operations to facilitate smoother traffic flow and enhance road safety along major highways and urban routes.
This initiative includes joint enforcement by multiple agencies, deployment of mobile courts, and both physical and electronic measures to deter traffic violations.
Drivers are encouraged to plan their journeys in advance, adjust travel schedules where necessary, and use alternative routes, such as the Nairobi-Suswa-Narok corridor or the Nairobi-Nyeri-Nyahururu-Nakuru route, to avoid congestion and ensure safer travel.
Counter-terrorism preparedness has also been strengthened. Regional and County Security Committees are actively implementing Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) County Action Plans, intensifying surveillance and safeguarding critical infrastructure, particularly at large public gatherings. At the same time, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), working with local authorities and police officers, has launched a nationwide crackdown targeting the production, sale, and consumption of illicit brews and drugs, which continue to pose a significant threat to public safety.
Law enforcement is also focusing on organized crime and social offenses. Security teams are escalating operations against criminal gangs across Nairobi, the Coast, Western, Nyanza, Central, and Eastern regions, while also addressing cultural and social crimes such as female genital mutilation, defilement, early pregnancies, forced marriages, domestic violence, and religious extremism.
Dr Omollo and IG Kanja stressed that public safety is a shared responsibility, urging citizens to remain vigilant and to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through the toll-free hotlines 999, 911, or 112.
Event organisers, shopping mall owners, and entertainment venue managers are encouraged to liaise closely with security teams to coordinate crowd management and strengthen private security arrangements.
Both officials reassured the public that the government is fully committed to ensuring a peaceful, orderly, and secure festive season, emphasising that the combination of strengthened security presence, enhanced coordination, and public vigilance is central to achieving this goal.
