NAIROBI, Kenya – The government is considering a policy that would integrate student leaders, deans of students, and campus security heads into county and sub-county security and intelligence committees, in a move aimed at improving safety in higher learning institutions.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said the proposal seeks to give students a structured voice in local security systems while strengthening early detection and response to emerging threats within campuses.
“We must embrace our student leaders in these structures so that we are able to pick up information or issues in good time and intervene before problems escalate,” Omollo said.
He spoke during the Jukwaa la Wasomi forum at the University of Nairobi, a high-level meeting bringing together university administrators, deans, student leaders, and government security officials.
The forum served as a platform to identify evolving threats, explore practical safety measures, and enhance collaboration between institutions of higher learning and security agencies.
Omollo said the initiative is part of the Interior Ministry’s broader agenda to create safe, inclusive, and peaceful learning environments across the country.
“Our goal is to create an ecosystem where learning thrives free from fear, manipulation, or harm. Security begins with awareness, partnership, and shared responsibility – and our students must be part of that equation,” he added.
The PS also encouraged universities to partner with the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in conducting regular dialogues on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), saying students play a crucial role in promoting peace and early warning systems.
In collaboration with the Universities and Colleges Students’ Peace Association of Kenya (UCSPAK), the ministry has been facilitating structured engagements between students and local security teams nationwide.
“We continue to organise meetings between student leaders and county security committees to enhance youth peace and security both at the county and national levels,” said Omollo.
The convention marked the conclusion of a national series of forums under the Jukwaa la Usalama programme spearheaded by the Interior Ministry.
Participants proposed several measures to enhance campus safety, including:
- Installation of CCTV cameras and streetlights around learning institutions.
- Fencing of university and college boundaries.
- Timely issuance of student ID cards for access control.
- Inclusion of student leaders in county-level security and intelligence meetings.
- Integration of security awareness briefings into student orientation programmes.
The meeting also recommended strengthening the Nyumba Kumi community policing model to include students living off-campus to bolster neighbourhood safety.
