The governments of Kenya and the United Kingdom have announced the conclusion of a Ksh3.6 billion seven-year partnership that was aimed at advancing police reforms, strengthening community security and tackling violence against women and girls nationwide.
Launched in 2018, the Ksh3.61 billion (£19.5 million) UK-funded programme named REINVENT worked across 24 counties and four regions to address the root causes of violence and insecurity, strengthen institutional response mechanisms as well as empower women and girls.
A key focus of the programme was the fight against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), which included establishing survivor centres and improving police responses to cases of gender-based violence.
The closing event was attended by UK Chargé d’Affaires Dr Ed Barnett, UK Deputy High Commissioner Rosy Cave, Interior PS Raymond Omollo and senior representatives from the National Police Service (NPS).
Speaking at the event, UK Deputy High Commissioner Cave said that REINVENT was developed to help Kenya address the complex challenges it faced, including insecurity in frontier counties.
She also noted that over the years, the programme’s interventions expanded beyond the northern and coastal regions to address a wider range of issues.
“Our shared goal remained clear – to reduce violence, strengthen institutional responses, and empower women and girls as agents of peace and security,” she said.
On the other hand, the Director of Police Service Reforms, John Kamau, said the programme had delivered measurable results across its work streams, including enhanced policing standards nationwide.
“Thousands of police officers and community actors benefitted directly from trainings, dialogues, and technical engagement, while millions of Kenyans indirectly benefitted from improved security through policing services,” Kamau said.
Additionally, PS Omollo acknowledged the programme’s contribution to national peace and security, noting that the partnership was rooted in a joint security compact between Kenya and the United Kingdom.
Over seven years, the programme supported national-level reforms through the Strategic Framework for Police Reforms, including legislation and policies, and improved service delivery in 66 police stations to strengthen coordination with the communities.
The programme also established survivor-centred models such as the Nanyuki POLICARE Centre and the Mombasa Situation Room. It also enhanced gender-based violence response by establishing over 60 gender desks nationwide, and localised Kenya’s National Action Plan for Women, Peace, and Security.
