At least 283 National Police Reservists (NPRs) graduated at an event in Garissa on Thursday, a move aimed at bolstering security operations in the region.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat presided over the graduation and urged the new reservists to maintain discipline and uphold integrity.
“The graduation is a boost for security operations in the region,” Lagat said.
“We are investing in this project and other areas to ensure we strengthen operations here and elsewhere.”
NPRs are trained and equipped before being deployed, often to reach remote areas where regular police operations are limited.
The government recently ordered fresh vetting for all NPRs as part of ongoing efforts to enhance security operations.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced a new policy that institutionalises the NPR command structure.
Under the policy, NPR officers will report directly to the Officer Commanding Police Stations (OCS), a move intended to improve operational coordination.
The graduation comes days after two NPR officers were killed in an explosion at the Kenya-Somalia border in Mandera, with two others injured.
The incident occurred at about 6 pm on Wednesday, January 14, at Point Four’s Kulun area, near the border.
Police said the officers were on duty when the improvised explosive device (IED) detonated. NPR Corporal Mohamed Issack and Constable Abdirashid Shabbellow were killed, while two others sustained serious injuries and were hospitalised.
A team of experts said the IED was planted in an area frequented by NPRs. A destroyed mobile phone with a Somalia SIM card was recovered and is being analysed.
A second bomb was safely detonated by the team, and the site was cleared.
The bodies of the deceased officers were subjected to autopsies before release to their families for burial.
The Garissa region has been experiencing security challenges, including threats from terrorism and smuggling. NPRs play a key role in patrolling remote areas near the border.
The Kenya-Somalia border has seen instability due to clashes between Somali security agencies and armed groups, including Al-Shabaab. The area remains sensitive, with historical tensions and limited central governance in Somalia since 1991.
Kenya previously launched Operation Linda Nchi on October 14, 2011, following attacks targeting tourists on the Coast, which the government viewed as a threat to national security and the country’s economic lifeline.
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