The Ministry of Interior and National Administration has today inaugurated a landmark capacity-building programme for Chiefs under the National Climate Change Security Resilience Programme (NCCSRP), signaling a decisive move to integrate climate action into national security and grassroots governance structures.
The training, held at the IGAD Centre for Climate Prediction and Applications (ICPAC), is part of a wider effort to equip National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) with tools for local climate risk coordination and resilience-building.
The programme also engages officers from the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service, and Immigration Department, establishing a multi-agency, whole-of-government approach.
Presiding over the opening session, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration, Dr. Raymond Omollo, emphasized the growing urgency of climate-related threats, citing their direct links to internal displacement, intercommunal conflict, and economic vulnerability.
“This is no longer just an environmental concern. It is a matter of national security. Chiefs are uniquely positioned to act as trusted conveners and now, climate champions at the community level,” Dr. Omollo stated.
Since its national rollout in May 2024, the National NCCSRP has engaged more than 13,000 Kenyans across 1,600+ grassroots groups mobilized by Chiefs. The monthly Chiefs Climate Action Day, observed every first Friday, has seen communities plant an average of over 250 trees per site nationwide -demonstrating local ownership of the national tree-planting campaign in support of the President’s directive to grow 15 billion trees by 2032.
Dr. Omollo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a whole-of-society response, highlighting the critical partnership with IGAD, which provides technical expertise in climate risk analysis and resilience programming.
“As we plant trees, we are not just restoring landscapes – we are planting peace, stability, and hope,” said the PS. Dr. Elizabeth Carabine, Climate Security Advisor to the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, lauded Kenya and the wider Horn of Africa region for advancing climate-responsive governance.
“Member States in this region are setting the global standard on operationalizing the climate–peace–security nexus. Kenya’s approach offers a replicable blueprint for other nations,” she noted.
Dr. Abdi Fidar, Director of ICPAC, reiterated IGAD’s commitment to supporting member states through coordinated efforts that link climate resilience with peace and sustainable development.
During the session, the Principal Secretary urged the Chiefs to cascade their training to peers in their respective regions and champion technology-based climate solutions. He underscored their collective responsibility: “Kenya has over 4,000 Chiefs across the country. You are not here just for your locations you represent the administrative fabric of this nation.”
Referencing last year’s devastating floods, which claimed at least 40 lives and displaced over 3,000 people, Dr. Omollo emphasized the urgency of national resilience measures, including the ongoing Nairobi River Restoration Programme, now being replicated countrywide.
The event was attended by senior officials including Mr. Abdikarim Mohammed, Coordinator of IGAD’s Climate Security Mechanism, as well as Chiefs from across the country and members of the NCCSRP Secretariat.
