WHOLE-OF-GOVERNMENT APPROACH GIVEN BOOST THROUGH LAUNCH OF TRAINING CURRICULUM

Interior Ministry Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Hon. Amb. Hussein Dado has unveiled a training curriculum for Government officers stationed at Kenya’s points of entry and exit.

Dubbed the Kenya Coordinated Border Management Programme (KCBMP), the curriculum was launched at the Kenya School of Government in Lower Kabete, Nairobi. The Curriculum will help enhance the whole-of-Government approach between Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) working in Kenya’s points of entry and exit which include land, air and maritime borders.

Representing Interior Ministry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Dr. Fred Matiang’i at the event, Amb. Hussein Dado said:

“As with all National Government business these days, I am delighted that, like border management, the programme also embraces a whole-of-Government approach and harnesses the capabilities and synergies inherent in all border departments.”

The Curriculum was the brainchild of the KSG’s Security Management Institute (SMI) and the Border Management Secretariat (BMS). The latter acted on orders from the Border Control and Operations Coordination Committee (BCOCC), an organ chaired by Interior Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Eng. Karanja Kibicho.

According to Amb. Hon. Hussein Dado, it will now be mandatory for all Government officers working at Kenya’s border points to undergo training in order to continue inculcating the Whole-of-Government Approach in their day-to-day activities.

“The Kenya Coordinated Border Management Programme will be escalated to the Cabinet level so that, through a policy, we shall make it mandatory for border agencies to ensure that their officers undergo the training. The training will ultimately make up part of their career progression,” Amb. Dado said.

“The Curriculum will help border officials stay up to speed with latest global best practices in border management,” he added.

The CAS further hailed the Curriculum saying that it will help Kenya become a regional and international exemplar in promotion of legitimate trade, travel and border security. “The Curriculum will help tackle challenges like smuggling of goods, persons, narcotics and ivory through Kenya’s points of entry and exit which include airports, land and sea borders.”

Representing Interior Ministry Principal Secretary (PS), Dr. Eng. Karanja Kibicho, Secretary Internal Security Mr. Wilson Njega commended the collaboration between the KSG’s Security Management Institute and the BMS for developing the training Curriculum. He said it will be of immense benefit to all border officials.

“It’s my expectation that this training manual will assist in equipping our border officials with the knowledge, competencies and skills to help them better execute their mandates.”

Mr. Njega said that once all border officials undergo the training, he expects a seamless and coordinated approach towards border management and exceptional service delivery at all points of entry and exit.

“The endgame is to ensure that delivery of services to people are synchronized, effective, efficient, versatile and advanced enough to respond to emerging issues and challenges.”

The KSG Director General (DG) Prof. Ludeki Chweya appreciated the contribution that practitioners make in strengthening KSG’s training programmes by participating in curriculum development and the actual delivery of the programme. Further, Prof. Chweya urged for more research in the area of border security which he said would inform strategic capacity development.

“Training effectiveness is also a function of research. It is important that we also conduct research in matters border management such as cross border security, flows and how it can be a challenge to national interest, cross national cooperation and technology. The research findings will enrich training,” said Prof. Chweya.

Prof. Chweya lauded the importance that Interior Ministry has placed on building capacity of border officials which realized development of the coordinated border programme.

“I thank the Ministry of Interior for recognizing the importance of building competencies to manage our borders better which led to the development of this curriculum. The programme is a product of the mobilization of expertise from the Kenya School of Government and Border Management Security.”

BCOCC and BMS Secretary Mr. Kennedy Nyaiyo greeted the concerted efforts through the multi-agency approach, which he said, has seen the enhancement of legitimate trade and travel and heightened security in our borders. He added that the Curriculum will enhance the securitization process of our borders even more.

Mr. Nyaiyo thanked National Government agencies and other organizations including the United States Customs and Border Protection (US CBP), International Organization on Migration (IOM), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) for their continued support.

Government organizations with officials stationed at Kenya’s borders/points of entry and exit and members of the BCOCC include: The National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the Immigration Department, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), the Ministry of Health, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS), National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC), among others.

The aforementioned organizations also make up the membership of the BCOCC which was formed through the Security Laws (Amendment) Act, 2014, Section 75. The Committee was established, to among others, co-ordinate the exchange of information between the respective agencies responsible for the security and management of the borders at the designated entry and exit points.