Administration And Internal Security Committee Holds A Familiarization Engagement With Ministry Of Interior And National Administration
Hon. Gabriel Tongoyo chair, Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security
By: John Kariuki
Worth Noting:
- He informed the Committee that the State Department was in the process of aligning the new administration’s priorities in their strategic plan. He informed the MPs that top priorities for the State Department is capacity development of officers after the completion of the ongoing review of the terms of service for disciplined services by the Police Reforms Taskforce.
- “Our top priority is capacity development and welfare improvement for our officers once the recommendations of the Police Reforms Taskforce is done with its work. We are also prioritizing Security Sector Modernization, upgrading the systems for the delivery of Citizens Services and improved border control. We therefore request you to support these priorities as we are the backbone of government’s operations”, PS Omollo told the Committee.
The Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security is this weekend holding an 2-day engagement retreat with officials from the Ministry of Interior and its Agencies in Naivasha.
The Gabriel Tongoyo led Committee had invited the Ministry officials to acquaint them with the mandates and roles, as well as the policies and programs implemented by the various State Departments and Directorates under the Ministry.
In his opening remarks, Tongoyo underscored the need for the Committee Members to be well acquainted with what each Directorate and Department in the ministry does, so that when the budgeting process kicks off, the Committee would propose budgetary allocations from an informed point of view.
“We invited you here so you can enlighten us on your mandates and roles, as well as the policies and programs that you are implementing. We are also keen to get to understand your challenges and what legislative interventions you would wish that we make to enable you execute your roles effectively”, he explained.
The team from the Ministry was led by Dr. Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, and his counterpart from the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services, Amb. Prof. Julius Bitok.
On his part, PS Omollo thanked the Committee for their continued support and urged the Members to become Ambassadors of the ministry’s programs within Parliament and across the governance spectrum.
He pleaded with the Committee to support the Ministry’s agenda through adequate budgetary allocation, when the process kicks off in the next few weeks.
He decried that in the current financial year, the State Department had been allocated 28.5 billion against a resource requirement of 41.5 billion thus hindering the full implementation of some of its programs.
He informed the Committee that the State Department was in the process of aligning the new administration’s priorities in their strategic plan. He informed the MPs that top priorities for the State Department is capacity development of officers after the completion of the ongoing review of the terms of service for disciplined services by the Police Reforms Taskforce.
“Our top priority is capacity development and welfare improvement for our officers once the recommendations of the Police Reforms Taskforce is done with its work. We are also prioritizing Security Sector Modernization, upgrading the systems for the delivery of Citizens Services and improved border control. We therefore request you to support these priorities as we are the backbone of government’s operations”, PS Omollo told the Committee.
Among the agencies that appeared before the Committee are the Kenya Coast Guard, the NGO Coordination Board, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), the Private Security, Regulatory Authority, the Firearms Licensing Board, the National Steering Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Management, the Border Control and Operational Control Committee, the Kenya National Focal Point and Small Arms,the Kenya School of Adventure and Leadership, and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC).
During the deliberations, the Committee cast a spotlight on impact of the NCIC, given the influx of cases of hate speech, and few successful prosecutions on offenders. The Committee Vice -Chairperson Dido Rasso noted that since the Commission is not a Constitutional Commission, it hasn’t been able to achieve the independence it requires, or achieve the envisaged impact. He challenged the Commission to pursue the amendment of the law establishing the Commission through the Committee, to strengthen the Commission’s monitoring and enforcement role.
The role of the Regional Policing Authorities also came into sharp focus. Members heard that the National Police Act, 2011 provides for Governors to chair the County Policing Authority. The Committee further heard that a petition challenging the implementation of this law had been lodged in court. The Ministry official disclosed that amendments to the law had been floated and had received a nod from the Attorney General. The lawmakers agreed that since security is not devolved, it would be prudent for the law to be reviewed once the petition had been determined.
Members led by Tongoyo and Rasso also called for the tightening of the regulations around firearm licensing, given the increased number of cases of crimes aided by illegal firearms. The legislators also called on the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration to enhance facilitation to the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) for better service delivery in the grassroots.
Among the challenges that the ministry officials cited for legislative intervention is the lack of legal framework for the implementation of Nyumba Kumi, the operationalization of Public Benefits Organization Regulations, Finalization of Regulations for Private Security Regulatory Authority as well as the Weak Collaboration between NACADA and the county government in liquor licensing.
Other Members in attendance were: Sarah Korere (Laikipia North), Liza Chelule (Nakuru), Mburu Kahangara (Lari), Oku Kaunya (Teso North), Francis Sigei (Sotik) Hussein Weutan Mohammed (Mandera East), Fred Kapondi (Mt. Elgon), Fatuma Jehow (Wajir), Caroline Ngelechei (Elgeyo-Marakwet).
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