Plans to establish the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit (NMPU) received a major boost on Thursday after Kenyan officials held high-level talks with the United Kingdom government on strengthening security cooperation and drawing lessons from some of the world’s most experienced urban policing institutions.
Governor Sakaja Johnson, together with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli and other senior officials, met UK Home Secretary Rt. Hon. Shabana Mahmood, UK Minister of State for Policing and Crime Sarah Jones, and the leadership of the City of London Police in London for discussions focused on the proposed Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit.
According to Sakaja, the talks centred on leveraging British expertise in metropolitan policing to help shape Nairobi’s new security framework.
“We explored collaboration in the establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit, drawing on the experience of the UK’s policing institutions in urban policing, public safety and crime prevention,” Sakaja said.
The Governor added that the initiative is aimed at creating a modern and effective security unit capable of addressing the unique challenges facing Nairobi as a rapidly growing metropolitan city.
Murkomen said Kenya and the United Kingdom share a long-standing partnership in security, governance and law enforcement, making Britain a key partner in the development of the new unit.
“We explored cooperation in the establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit as we seek to leverage the UK’s institutional experience and decades of operational excellence,” Murkomen said.
The Cabinet Secretary noted that the discussions also covered broader issues under the Kenya–UK Strategic Partnership Framework and the two countries’ security cooperation compact.
The London meeting is the latest step in the government’s efforts to benchmark global best practices as it lays the groundwork for the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit.
It comes just a day after Sakaja and Murkomen arrived in New York City alongside senior security officials on a learning mission aimed at drawing lessons from the New York Police Department (NYPD), widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful urban policing institutions.
The visit is part of an international benchmarking exercise that will also take the team to Rome, London and Tokyo as the government finalises plans for the NMPU.
The proposed unit is expected to strengthen security, maintain public order and tackle emerging criminal threats in Nairobi, one of Africa’s fastest-growing metropolitan centres.
