President William Ruto on Tuesday unveiled plans to construct 900 new police stations across the country by 2027, saying the move will bring security services closer to the people and address decades-old infrastructure deficits.
The announcement was made at State House in Nairobi during the launch of the Jukwaa la Usalama report, compiled after months of nationwide public forums on security and service delivery.
Two-year timeline for massive rollout
Ruto told senior government officials and security chiefs that many Kenyans still live several hours from the nearest police post, making it difficult for officers to respond quickly to emergencies or conduct proper investigations.
“We have agreed that we will build 900 new police stations in the next two years,” the president said. “Some areas are very far away from the nearest police station.”
The 900 stations will be delivered through three channels: 300 under the Affordable Housing Programme, 300 funded by the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) with the support of members of parliament, and the remaining 300 directly by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.
New administrative units to follow
In addition to police infrastructure, the government will operationalise 24 new sub-counties, 88 divisions and 675 sub-locations within the next 12 months.
Ruto said the decentralisation drive aims to ensure all government services – from security to civil registration – are within easier reach, especially in remote and newly created administrative units.
Report exposes dire state of facilities
The Jukwaa la Usalama report painted a grim picture of working conditions for security and administrative officers.
In Turkana County, staff in the newly established Lokiriama Sub-County have no office and commute nearly 80 kilometres to Loima Sub-County headquarters. In Marakwet West, a two-room colonial-era building houses both Kaptalamwa Police Station and the location chief’s office, with the chief’s desk doubling as a cell at night.
Across the country, regional and county commissioners operate from dilapidated or borrowed premises. The Coast Regional Commissioner’s office urgently needs renovation, while the Tana River County Commissioner works from cramped quarters. In Samburu, the commissioner has been using Civil Registration Services offices after construction of a dedicated block stalled years ago.
In Trans Nzoia, some police stations remain in use despite being officially condemned, and deputy county commissioners in Kipipiri and Ndaragwa in Nyandarua County are yet to be allocated offices.
Private sector and policy changes proposed
Participants in the public forums recommended stronger partnerships with the private sector to fund modern police stations and administrative blocks.
They also called for a policy requiring all major national projects – including roads, hospitals and universities – to incorporate security and administrative infrastructure from the design stage.
Security analysts welcomed the initiative but stressed that new buildings must be accompanied by improved salaries, equipment and training for officers.
For millions of Kenyans currently far from the nearest patrol base, the promise of a police station nearby could transform day-to-day safety.
