Sakaja Announces Training of 2,500 Officers for New Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced the formation of a new Metropolitan Police Unit comprising 2,500 officers. The initiative aims to shift focus from traffic management to broader urban security to better serve the city's growing daytime population.
Why it matters
This restructuring represents a significant shift in urban governance and public safety strategy for one of East Africa's largest capital cities.
A past image of City Council askaris. Photo Nairobi County --> Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced that 2,500 officers will soon undergo specialised training ahead of the rollout of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit, a new security outfit aimed at strengthening safety across the capital.
Sakaja made the announcement on Sunday after attending a church service at St Austin's Catholic Church in Westlands, saying Nairobi's unique status as the country's capital requires a policing model tailored to its rapidly growing daytime population.
The officers will be drawn from the Nairobi County Inspectorate and the National Police Service (NPS), bringing county enforcement officers and national police under a coordinated operational framework.
According to Sakaja, Nairobi's population rises to more than seven million people during the day, making it increasingly difficult to rely on a policing model focused primarily on traffic management rather than broader urban security challenges.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in