NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Tom Odero has been appointed to head the newly created Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit, in a major restructuring of security operations in the capital.
The appointment was announced by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen ahead of the unit’s planned rollout on May 1, as part of a broader strategy to enhance security coordination in Nairobi.
Murkomen said the new unit will operate under a multi-agency framework designed to improve enforcement, coordination, and accountability across the metropolitan area.
“The unit… will be operational by May 1,” he said after a high-level meeting with security officials overseeing its formation.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit is anchored on a cooperation agreement between the national government and Nairobi City County.
It is part of President William Ruto’s directive to strengthen security in the capital.
Ruto has previously emphasised that safety in Nairobi is “non-negotiable,” noting that the government is committed to ensuring the city is secure for residents, businesses, and investors.
Odero, a career police officer, takes on the role after serving in the Rift Valley, where he led operations against banditry and cattle rustling.
His appointment signals a shift from rural security operations to complex urban policing challenges.
Security officials say the new unit will integrate various arms of the National Police Service to create a more responsive policing system in Nairobi.
The command structure was unveiled following consultations with senior police leadership, including Inspector General Douglas Kanja and top officials from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
The move comes amid growing concern over crime in Nairobi, with authorities seeking more coordinated responses to urban security threats such as organised crime, robbery, and public order challenges.
Recent changes in Nairobi’s security leadership have also seen shifts in command positions, as the government prepares for the rollout of the new policing framework.
Officials say the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit will focus on improving efficiency, enhancing accountability, and strengthening collaboration between national and county security structures.
The appointment of Odero places him at the centre of one of the government’s most significant security reforms in the capital, as authorities seek to stabilise law enforcement in a rapidly growing urban environment.
