The National Police Service (NPS) has validated its proposed Public Communication Strategy in a move aimed at strengthening public engagement, enhancing accountability and building trust between police officers and the communities they serve.
The validation exercise, held on Friday, October 30, 2026, brought together government representatives, development partners, oversight institutions and other stakeholders to review the proposed strategy and provide recommendations before its finalisation.
The exercise was officially opened by the Director of Training, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Hassan Aljir, who represented Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja.
In his remarks, Aljir underscored the importance of involving diverse stakeholders in developing an effective communication framework, noting that contributions from State and non-State actors, development partners and police officers across different regions had enriched the document.
He observed that police officers brought practical insights into communication challenges encountered in the field, while other stakeholders provided perspectives on public expectations, accountability and community engagement.
The validation exercise also sought to establish whether views and recommendations gathered during the strategy’s development had been adequately incorporated into the document.
The Service noted that the strategy is expected to provide a framework for how the police communicate information, engage communities and respond to public concerns.
The development process has received support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Justice Mission (IJM), whose contributions have been instrumental since its inception.
Among those who attended the exercise were Ministry of Interior Director of Communications Julius Sigei, Edwin Manoti from the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, and representatives from UNODC and IJM.
Also present were Dr. Dennis Oketch from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), Joseph Muraya from the Crime Journalists Association of Kenya (CJAK), and Elias Waswa from the Witness Protection Agency (WPA), among other stakeholders.
The NPS said the success of the strategy would ultimately be measured by its practical impact in improving public understanding, strengthening accountability and fostering lasting trust between the police and the public.
