Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo is in Rome, Italy, leading a high-level Kenyan delegation on a benchmarking mission aimed at strengthening Nairobi’s urban security framework ahead of the planned establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit.
The visit forms part of the Government’s broader efforts to modernize policing and enhance security management in Nairobi, which continues to grow as a regional economic, diplomatic and commercial hub.
According to Dr. Omollo, the delegation engaged senior officials from Italy’s security agencies to explore global best practices that could help shape the proposed metropolitan policing model for Kenya’s capital city.
“As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen our urban security architecture and inform the proposed establishment of a Metropolitan Police Unit for Nairobi, we held extensive engagements with the leadership of the Italian Police Service in Rome,” said Dr. Omollo.
Learning From Italy’s Security Model
The Kenyan delegation met representatives from several Italian security institutions, including the Polizia di Stato, Arma dei Carabinieri, Guardia di Finanza and Polizia Penitenziaria.
Dr. Omollo noted that the discussions provided valuable insights into metropolitan policing, multi-agency coordination, public order management, counter-terrorism operations and organized crime prevention.
“Our discussions focused on how international best practices can be adapted to Nairobi’s unique security environment as a rapidly growing capital city, regional economic hub and diplomatic centre,” he said.
The meetings also examined intelligence-led policing, migration management, cybercrime response, financial investigations and security planning for major public events.
According to the Interior PS, these lessons will play a critical role in designing a policing framework capable of addressing emerging security challenges in Nairobi while improving service delivery and public confidence.
Focus on Intelligence and Community Trust
Dr. Omollo emphasized that the Government is keen on developing a modern police unit that combines technology, intelligence gathering and community engagement.
“We explored strategies for enhancing intelligence-led policing, protecting critical infrastructure, strengthening community trust, combating organized criminal networks and improving preparedness for emerging security threats,” he stated.
The Interior Ministry believes that adopting proven international models while tailoring them to local realities will help create a more responsive and effective security system for Nairobi residents and businesses.
Part of Wider Government Preparations
The Italy visit comes barely a week after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja traveled to New York, where they held discussions with officials from the New York Police Department (NYPD) on the proposed Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit.
The talks explored possible cooperation between Kenya’s National Police Service and the NYPD, particularly in areas such as urban security operations, technology-driven law enforcement and community policing.
The push to establish a specialized metropolitan police unit follows a directive issued by President William Ruto in February 2026, instructing the Ministry of Interior to develop a framework for a dedicated security agency focused on Nairobi.
Government officials say the proposed unit is expected to strengthen public safety, improve coordination among security agencies and enhance the city’s capacity to respond to increasingly complex urban security threats as Nairobi continues to expand.
