NAIROBI,Kenya, Aug 11 – Police housing in the country received a vital boost after the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) unveiled a complex for officers attached to the regulator.
The project located within Nairobi’s Industrial Area police station is expected to be complete within a year and will comprise 210 units including a police canteen, pharmacy, convenience store, a recreation centre, and a children’s play area. Its design incorporates green space with trees and landscaped lawns.
Interior Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Fred Matiang’i, lauded CBK’s move and challenged other players in the public and private sectors to partner with the Government to improve police housing.
“This gives us an opportunity to begin having practical conversations with others to follow the good example that CBK has shown. The security sector across the board occupies plenty of spaces that we can occupy to improve the welfare of our officers. I am grateful that it is no longer a story – it’s happening. When the history of improving police welfare in this country is being written, there will be a chapter on this landmark collaboration with the Central Bank of Kenya,” he said.
Dr. Matiang’i who was speaking at the construction site invited stakeholders, including neighbourhoods, to partner with the government in helping reforming the National Police Service.
“Two months ago, we opened an ultra-modern canteen at the Karen Police Station, which was constructed through the contributions of members of the Karen community. There are also several neighbourhood associations across the city trying to work on welfare facilities for the police. This is very encouraging. Countries are built on such constructive cooperation and collaboration.”
He praised CBK Governor Dr. Patrick Njoroge for ensuring the bank’s projects were undertaken transparently and within budgets and realistic timelines.
“Before the Executive Order No. 1 of 2019, contractors were shaken down left, right and centre for hundreds of millions of shillings. We lost a lot of time, and the trend persisted for a while, but no such a thing has happened in the last four years,” the CS said.
The CS listed Kisumu Port facelift, the completion of the Lamu Port Project, the rehabilitation of railway lines, and the ongoing construction of the Nairobi Expressway Project as some of the countless projects that have been expedited under the new framework of collaboration and execution of government projects.
According to CBK Governor, Dr. Patrick Njoroge, the project will be delivered in one year without variations, revisions and delays.
The housing project is part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into between CBK and the National Police Service in December 2018. The first phase involved construction of the Kenya Police Leadership Academy in Embulbul, Ngong. The academy that specialises in research and policing techniques is complete and ready for hand-over.
Dr. Matiang’i further said preparations to secure the 2022 general elections were complete and urged security officers ensure lives and properties are protected during the electioneering period.
The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by Interior PS, Dr. Karanja Kibicho and Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and top security officials.
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