The National Police Reserve has graduated 705 new recruits following a month-long training programme that brought together members of different communities, including groups that have previously been involved in conflicts, in an effort to strengthen cooperation in areas affected by insecurity.
The recruits, drawn from 10 counties, completed basic training at the Magado Field Training Camp in Meru County on Wednesday. They are the second group to graduate from the facility, after more than 4,000 reservists completed their training there in June.
The latest group was part of what Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen described as the first joint cross-community training of its kind in Kenya. The programme also included 11 chiefs who were trained alongside the recruits in firearm handling, field operations and community relations.
Murkomen said bringing the different groups together was meant to help build trust and cooperation among reservists who operate in areas where communities have faced long-running conflicts.
“Police reservists who come from warring communities, the Samburus are training with the Turkanas; Turkanas are training with the West Pokots; we have Isiolo people training together with the Samburus; we have the Merus training together with the Samburus, and we have people from Garissa training together with those from Isiolo,” Murkomen said.
The CS told the new reservists that their work should not be guided by loyalty to their individual communities, but by their responsibility to the country.
“This is what we wanted to remind those of you who are here: you are not NPRs for your communities but for the Republic of Kenya, serving national interests even though you are serving within your communities,” he said.
The National Police Reserve mainly operates in border areas and remote, rural and pastoralist regions, including parts of the North Rift, Upper Eastern and the Coast. The reservists work under local police commanders and help the regular police in dealing with security challenges.
Their responsibilities include supporting disarmament exercises, maintaining law and order, protecting lives and property, and providing information through community-based intelligence networks.
Murkomen said the government was also preparing to improve the welfare of the reservists, who currently receive a monthly allowance of Sh5,000.
He announced plans to double the allowance and enrol NPR members in the Social Health Authority (SHA). He also said a draft policy covering the management and coordination of the reserve would soon be taken to Cabinet for approval.
The CS warned the recruits that their firearms must only be used within the law, saying those who turn their weapons against other communities would face severe disciplinary and legal consequences.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja challenged the recruits to uphold patriotism, obey the law and maintain public trust as they begin their duties.
He also issued a warning on political involvement as the country prepares for the 2027 General Election, telling the reservists to remain impartial in carrying out their responsibilities.
“It is a season that will test your patriotism, especially on matters of impartiality. The eyes of Kenyans and indeed of the world will be fixed upon the conduct of the National Police Service,” Kanja said, urging the recruits to remain responsive, accountable and people-centred.
Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lang’at said the Magado Field Training Camp could soon take on a bigger role within the National Police Service training system.
Lang’at said the National Assembly’s Internal Security Committee visited the camp last month to assess its suitability for conversion into a Tactical Training College for the National Police Service.
He said the camp was established following recommendations by the Jukwaa la Usalama Initiative and the Justice David Maraga-led task force, which had called for a specialised facility for tactical police training.
The facility sits on about 1,000 acres donated to the National Police Service by the Meru County Government. Its location is also expected to make it an important security buffer for the wider Upper Eastern region.
Lang’at said the training was aimed at preparing reservists to operate effectively in difficult environments by improving their combat readiness and survival skills.
He added that the programme also sought to strengthen discipline and cooperation among the reservists and prepare them to support other national security agencies whenever they are called upon.