The government plans to expand the number of Joint Operations Centres (JOCs) from eight to 35 across the country to strengthen border surveillance, intelligence sharing and coordination among security agencies.
Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr Raymond Omollo said the expansion would improve the monitoring of Kenya’s borders, enhance responses to emerging security threats and promote accountability among government institutions.
Speaking during the official opening of the 12th Cohort of the Kenya Coordinated Border Management Programme (KCBMP) and the launch of Border Management Committee Joint Service Charters, Dr Omollo said the centres provide a common platform for gathering, analysing and sharing operational information.
He noted that coordinated operations had already demonstrated their importance in combating cross-border crime, citing a recent anti-narcotics operation involving Kenyan and Tanzanian security agencies.
The operation resulted in the recovery of 454 kilogrammes of suspected narcotics valued at approximately KSh3.6 billion in Msambweni, Kwale County.
“This underscores the importance of data and intelligence sharing and joint action against transnational criminals,” said Dr Omollo.
He further revealed that more than 760,000 travellers had been screened at the country’s points of entry and exit, highlighting the importance of cooperation among security, immigration, customs and other government agencies.
The PS called for stronger accountability within border management institutions, warning that corruption, collusion and information leakage could compromise national security.
“We cannot secure our borders effectively without strengthening the systems and personnel responsible for managing them,” he said.
Dr Omollo added that the existing centres would provide a foundation for technology-driven border management systems, including the proposed National Fusion Centre and a secure border management system.
Secretary of the Border Management Secretariat Kennedy Nyaiyo said the government was committed to establishing JOCs across all 35 Border Management Committees to improve coordination among agencies operating at the country’s entry and exit points.
The launch of the Joint Service Charters for Kenya’s land, air and maritime borders is also expected to improve transparency and accountability in service delivery.
The charters establish common service standards, outlining available services, application requirements, applicable charges, procedures and expected processing times for travellers, businesses and other stakeholders.
Under the new commitments, routine cargo clearance is expected to take approximately one hour, while passengers meeting all clearance requirements should be facilitated within a maximum of one hour. Processes requiring physical intervention may take up to 24 hours.
Air cargo processing is expected to take between one and three hours, while maritime procedures include joint consultations lasting one to three hours and screening of suspicious vessels taking between six and 24 hours.
The 12th KCBMP cohort brings together 25 officers for training scheduled to run from November 9 to 20. This follows the training of 264 officers through the previous 11 cohorts.
The programme, developed through collaboration between the Border Management Secretariat and the Kenya School of Government, is supported by development partners, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
IOM Head of Operations for East and Southern Africa Jennifer Pro said effective border management depended on agencies working together rather than operating independently.
She described the Joint Service Charters as important instruments for improving transparency, accountability and the experience of travellers.
Kenya has 35 designated points of entry and exit and shares land borders with Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.