The Government has intensified efforts to strengthen grassroots security, combat drug trafficking and improve access to Government services, with National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) being directed to enhance intelligence gathering, community policing and the registration of eligible citizens for National Identity Cards.
Speaking during a meeting with National Government Administrative Officers in Mombasa, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr. Raymond Omollo said Mombasa’s strategic position as Kenya’s principal gateway through the Port of Mombasa makes the county’s security critical to the country’s economic growth, tourism, trade and investment.
The PS directed County Commissioners, Deputy County Commissioners, Assistant County Commissioners, Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs and Village Elders to strengthen collaboration with security agencies and local communities to tackle organised crime, criminal gangs, violent extremism and the growing threat of drug trafficking and substance abuse.
“Mombasa is one of Kenya’s most important economic hubs. Whatever happens here affects not only the Coast region but the entire country. We must therefore safeguard peace and security to create an environment where businesses thrive, investments grow, tourists visit and our people access economic opportunities,” said Dr. Omollo.
Describing drug and substance abuse as one of the greatest threats facing young people, the PS said traffickers continue to exploit vulnerable youth for profit, undermining families, communities and the country’s future workforce.
He called for closer collaboration between communities, the National Police Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Judiciary, schools, religious leaders and parents to eliminate drug trafficking networks and support prevention and rehabilitation initiatives.
PS Omollo emphasized that fighting drugs is a shared responsibility, urging Village Elders, Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs to remain vigilant, identify drug hotspots and work closely with communities to protect young people from addiction and crime.
He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening grassroots administration through the progressive operationalisation of all gazetted administrative units, noting that effective service delivery and security begin at the village level.
The PS said Village Elders, working alongside Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs, have become an integral part of Government’s security architecture through community policing, the Nyumba Kumi initiative, conflict resolution and the mobilisation of wananchi for Government programmes.
He further noted that National Government Administrative Officers play a critical role beyond maintaining law and order by coordinating Government programmes, resolving disputes, responding to emergencies and ensuring communities benefit from national development initiatives under the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Omollo said peace and security remain the foundation upon which the Government’s economic transformation agenda is built, noting that agriculture, affordable housing, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), healthcare, the digital economy and the Blue Economy can only flourish in a stable and secure environment.
On education, Dr. Omollo reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to investing in the country’s human capital, noting that Ksh 787.4 billion, the largest allocation in the current national budget, has been committed to the education sector.
He urged administrators to continue working with parents, schools and the Ministry of Education to sustain school enrolment, improve retention and support skills development through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
The Principal Secretary also commended Mombasa County for achieving 83 per cent registration under the Social Health Authority (SHA), describing it as one of the best-performing counties in the country. He said the milestone demonstrates the importance of collaboration between NGAOs, the County Government and the Ministry of Health in ensuring wananchi access quality and affordable healthcare.
On access to identification documents, Dr. Omollo directed NGAOs to intensify the registration and collection of National Identity Cards, noting that an ID is the gateway to education, employment, financial services, Government programmes and the exercise of democratic rights. “I urge all our County Commissioners, Deputy County Commissioners, Assistant County Commissioners, Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs and Village Elders to ensure that no eligible Kenyan is left behind in acquiring a National Identity Card. The document enables Government to plan effectively while empowering wananchi to access opportunities and participate fully in national development,” he said.
The PS noted that the Government had recently engaged leaders from across the Coast region to review progress and address challenges affecting the issuance of identity documents, adding that the success of the exercise largely depends on the commitment and dedication of National Government Administrative Officers at the grassroots.
Dr. Omollo concluded by commending NGAOs for their professionalism, resilience and dedication to public service, assuring them of the Government’s continued investment in strengthening grassroots administration through improved facilitation, capacity building and operational support to enhance peace, security and service delivery across the country.
Present was Coast Regional Commissioner Paul Rotich, Mombasa County Commissioner Mohammed Hassan,and the Regional and County Security Intelligence Committees.
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