The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Related Articles
The government, through the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, has expressed concern over a declining sense of civic duty and reduced public participation in security management.
Speaking on Monday, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr Raymond Omollo warned that citizens lowering their vigilance and ignoring basic safety practices is increasingly undermining national security and public order.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Channel
Addressing a Ministerial Stakeholder Forum bringing together the Ministry and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Dr Omollo called on Kenyans to reflect on their civic obligations, take ownership of national security, and play an active role in protecting the country.
He noted that weak adherence to security norms — from ignoring safety rules at public gatherings to disruptive conduct during protests — continues to endanger lives and livelihoods.
With small and medium-sized enterprises often bearing the greatest losses from looting and vandalism, the PS stressed the urgent need to revive public interest, participation and cooperation in intelligence and information sharing with security agencies. He said there was a pressing need to nurture a culture of public order and personal responsibility.
The engagement with KEPSA aimed to formalise a collaborative framework that brings together private sector actors and citizens in promoting safety and stability nationwide.
The relationship between the government and KEPSA has grown from ad hoc crisis responses into a strategic partnership focused on enhancing national security, stability and reforms.
KEPSA has played a key role in major national initiatives, including contributing to the 2010 Constitution, leading the Mkenya Daima peace campaign during elections, and supporting drought and disaster response efforts — demonstrating the value of private sector involvement in strengthening national resilience.
Dr Omollo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building on these achievements, saying collaboration with the private sector is essential to safeguarding citizens. He added that the Private Security Regulatory Authority is finalising regulations to professionalise and strengthen the private security industry, which he described as a critical component of national security.
KEPSA Security Sector Board Chairperson Annette Kimitei said the partnership is now broadening to cover new priority areas such as police reforms, cybersecurity, regulation of the private security sector and emerging technologies.
She noted that with more than 842 million cyber threat attempts recorded in October 2025 and increasing demand for modern security systems, KEPSA’s role will be crucial in enhancing real-time threat intelligence, disaster preparedness and community-based climate initiatives.
Kimitei said KEPSA values its long-standing cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and remains committed to employing qualified, professional security managers to help create a safe business environment.
She also pointed out the need to strengthen public discipline as Kenya prepares to host major international events such as AFCON, drawing lessons from challenges experienced during CHAN.
According to Kimitei, a growing trend of youth accessing stadiums and events without following ticketing or safety protocols poses serious risks to public safety and threatens the growth of sports and entertainment within the creative economy.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to investing in partnerships and collaborative frameworks with the private sector, civil society and community organisations as part of ongoing security sector reforms.
