Public-Private Partnership between university, county government, local leaders and ministry of Interior collaborate to boost safety of residents and students

A partnership between the National Government, the County Government of Kiambu and Mount Kenya University (MKU) has built a community policing facility in Thika town. Also newly constructed is a traffic police office at the Thika Police Station in a move that has been lauded as a positive development by local leaders.

MKU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Deogratius Jaganyi, says both initiatives have been implemented under a public-private partnership involving the three parties. “Bringing police officers closer to the people will enhance safe communities as police officers will engage with residents with ease. This will develop a greater sense of trust and confidence in the police, leading to better communication and cooperation,” he says.

Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a on Friday officially commissioned the community policing facility, located on General Kago Road, next to the university’s main campus in Thika’s Industrial Area. “There has been unprecedented growth of the existing colleges within this constituency as well as establishment of new ones, both public and many others are privately supported,” she noted.

Although Thika town is generally peaceful, Ms Alice Ng’ang’a, the area Member of Parliament (MP), who was chief guest, said more can be done to improve security in the town and eliminate stubborn illicit activities that also affect students.  She thanked security agencies for the peace and security enjoyed in the town and all residents as security is always shared concern. “When you witness a crime and fail to report, you are failing yourself and the community. So let us all embrace this new initiative as our programme for the good of all of us who are here today, tomorrow and in the future,” said the MP.

Lauding MKU for providing a surveillance vehicle for night police patrols, Ms. Ng’ang’a asked residents to contribute towards making the town safer.  “We are happy there will be more night patrols around the hostels where students from the university and other colleges live, since they are targets for muggers,” said the MP.

Kiambu County Police Commander, Perminus Kioi, said the newly built Thika Industrial Area Police facility will significantly improve security in the area. “It will help in reducing crime in that section of Thika Town, particularly around MKU,” she said.

Mr Kioi said taking police officers closer to the people enhances community policing, as police officers will engage with residents in non-emergency situations, such as community events or educational programmes. “This will foster positive relationships and mutual respect between law enforcement and the community,” he noted.

The facility will also develop a greater sense of trust and confidence in the police, leading to better communication and cooperation. “Furthermore, bringing police closer to the people means that the community will experience quick response to crime and emergencies. This is crucial in saving life and property,” added the regional police boss.

Mr Kioi said Thika Town is host to some of the largest informal settlements in Kenya (such as Kiandutu) and a big population of youths who attend colleges and universities in the area. “Common security problems in the town range from petty crime to complex criminal activities committed online. Major security issues within the town include theft and the snatching of mobile phones and personal items by criminals riding motorbikes. Students in Thika town have also been victims of violent robberies, physical assault in the streets, drugs and substance abuse, online fraud and conning,” said Kioi.

He said having a community policing facility in the neighbourhood will also contribute to the overall well-being of the community. “We are witnessing a shift towards criminal activities committed online such as online money fraud, where unsuspecting people are duped to pay for fake services or are tricked to share their MPesa or bank details,” the county police boss said.

Prof Jaganyi pledged that MKU will continue to forge synergetic partnerships with security organs in safeguarding peace and security in the community. “We will also facilitate the students and faculty to participate in security interventions, especially in the emerging security threats, such as cybercrime,” he promised.

The VC said MKU is fully committed towards promoting peace, justice and strong institutions within the country and across national borders to international horizons. “This is achieved through capacity development in criminology and security studies programs, conducting of relevant research as well as engagement in community-based partnerships,” he said.

The facility is the 4th PPP initiative within the neighbourhood. The other three initiatives include the MKU-Thika Level 5 Hospital PPP project; the MKU-Thika High School PPP project on development of the Sports Complex next to us just here; the MKU-Kenya National Library Services PPP also next to us, and a relationship is already being established with the Thika Women Prison along our shared General Kago Street.

MKU’s funding of the construction of the Industrial Area community policing facility and traffic police office in Thika is a community outreach project expected to enhance the safety and security of residents, including students. The university, in close consultation with the police, provided all the building materials and labour that was used to set up the facility.

While initially the facility was intended to be a patrol base, the need for devolving more services to the community led to its expansion to what it is now. The political leaders – county government, area MP, and MCA, were instrumental in the whole process.

Prof Jaganyi said the university expects the community to enjoy improved security due to regular patrols, rapid response from the police in case of an emergency and reduction of crime since members of the community are able to provide information quickly regarding suspicious activities.

Other academic institutions and businesses within the neighbourhood also stand to benefit due to the proximity of the police. The university neighbours General Kago Primary School, Thika High School, Thika Level-5 Hospital, several colleges, Bidco Africa, and other industries.

MKU made a request last year to the Interior ministry to beef up security around the university and the neighbourhood. The ministry approved the establishment of a community policing facility near the university’s main campus in Thika town.

“The success of this initiative will depend on the full involvement by all of us as the local stakeholders and local peace-builders to support this people-centred strategy of community policing. Everyone’s support is required in volunteering information or offering security intelligence as well as in the formation and support of Nyumba Kumi groups or residential security zones,” Prof Jaganyi noted.

The VC said students and members of the surrounding communities have been falling prey to incidents of crime. MKU, says the don, is cognizant of its responsibility to impact the welfare of the communities that surround it.  “Our stakeholders and the community have been contending with is the issue of rising insecurity. This was the motivation that informed the university management to mobilise resources from our Board of Directors to establish a community policing facility that will bring security services closer to the people,” says Prof Jaganyi.

According to MKU Dean of Students, Emmanuel Owuor, the Industrial Area community policing facility “will solve some of the problems of security around the university on General Kago Road. The presence of the facility, he points out, will be a deterrent to potential criminals.

Mr Owuor urged students to support policing efforts by giving information to police; forming residential security zones; and coordinating with their leaders whenever there is a security issue.

Ms Ng’ang’a called for better control of street families that live within the central business district, for example. “The town centre is full of street children and street families who are a big challenge to motorists. Some sections of parking spaces in Thika Town CBD have been taken over by street families who man them and force vehicle owners to pay unnecessary levies,” she said.

The MP requested the OCPD to kindly join hands with her in solving the menace. “If the children come from Thika Town, their parents need to be supported and educated to keep their children away from the streets for this exposes them to a lot of danger. Where some are orphans, we call upon the local agencies that offer such interventions to step in.

She also called for support for the Children and Gender-Based Desk at the local Police Stations in the town. “I welcome the Private sector players including MKU and others within the constituency to come on board and work with the Area OCPD to offer support to the Children and Gender-Based Desk at our Police Stations for the good work they continue to do,” she said.

The MP lauded MKU’s initiative to support the building of a permanent block at the Thika Police Station. This is in addition to the community policing facility that the university has also funded, and is ready for commissioning. The new community policing facility is located near Thika High School.

MKU has also previously financed the construction of various facilities at the Makongeni Police Station. For the most recent projects – the community policing infrastructure and traffic police office – MKU constituted a planning committee that coordinated the construction.

Ms Ng’ang’a called for the retention of the committee, which she says should co-opt more members of the Thika community so that they can be meeting regularly to advise the police on general areas that need attention from time to time. “Thika Police Station officers are seeking support with two new desktops to ease recording and analysis of gender cases,” she added.

The Member of County Assembly for Hospital Ward, John Njiru Njue, appreciates the public-private partnership supported by MKU on the security and safety of residents. “I strongly recommend that other local institutions engage in similar strategic partnerships that will go a long way in fostering national socio-economic development,” he says.

Njue challenged institutions of higher education to promote a culture of peace, security and social wellness among communities surrounding them.

ENDS

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