All police officers on leave have been ordered to resume duty as the government intensifies a sweeping, multi-agency security operation aimed at safeguarding Kenyans and visitors during the busy festive season.

In a statement released Wednesday, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration (MINA) announced a six-pronged security plan designed to address heightened travel, increased social activity and a surge in domestic and international tourism that typically characterise the end-of-year period.

“While the overall security situation across the country remains calm and stable, past trends indicate a likelihood of isolated security incidents, traffic violations and opportunistic crime during the festive season,” the ministry said.

“In response, we have taken the SIX measures to protect the lives and
property of members of the public and international visitors as they go about their activities.”

At the heart of the operation is the activation of the National Multi-Agency Command Centre (NMACC), which will coordinate surveillance, intelligence sharing and rapid response before, during and after the holidays.

The centre will be manned by officers from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Police Service (NPS), National Intelligence Service (NIS), Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forestry Service, National Youth Service (NYS) and the National Government Administration.

Similar coordination hubs have been established at regional and county levels to strengthen command and control.

“These efforts are complemented by the festive season Operation Orders
operationalized by the National Police Service to ensure coordinated, intelligence led security operations and effective maintenance of law and order across the country,” MINA said.

Security personnel drawn from the NPS, Prisons Service, KWS, Forestry Service, NYS and the Kenya Coast Guard Service have been deployed across key locations, including airports, border crossings and other entry and exit points.

High-traffic areas such as hotels, shopping malls, public beaches, tourist sites, central business districts, critical infrastructure, places of worship and entertainment venues are also under heightened security, supported by general duty officers and specialised units.

The Ministry of Defence is providing logistical and air support where necessary, while also securing the country against external threats.

To ease congestion and curb road carnage, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), working with the Traffic Police Department, has launched a nationwide traffic enforcement operation on major highways and urban roads.

In line with resolutions of the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ), the operation includes deployment of Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) officers to monitor enforcement and deter corruption, alongside enhanced multi-agency coordination and information sharing.

Mobile courts will be deployed where necessary, with both physical and electronic enforcement measures in use.

Regional and County Security Committees have reinforced counter-terrorism preparedness and are implementing Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) county action plans, with increased surveillance around critical infrastructure and large public gatherings.

Meanwhile, a nationwide crackdown on illicit brews and drugs—led by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA)—is underway.

Working with national government administrative officers and police, the operation targets the production, sale and consumption of dangerous substances.

Security agencies have also escalated operations against organised criminal gangs in Nairobi, the Coast, Western, Nyanza, Central and Eastern regions.

Targeted enforcement is being applied to cultural and social crimes including female genital mutilation (FGM), defilement, early pregnancies, forced marriages, domestic violence and religious extremism.

Emphasising that public safety is a shared responsibility, the ministry urged wananchi to cooperate with law enforcement officers and report suspicious activity to the nearest police station or via toll-free numbers 999, 911 or 112.

Motorists were advised to plan journeys in advance and use alternative routes to avoid congestion, particularly travellers heading from Nairobi to Western and Nyanza regions, who were encouraged to use the Nairobi–Suswa–Narok route instead of the Mai Mahiu escarpment.

Those travelling through Central Kenya were advised to consider the Nairobi–Nyeri–Nyahururu–Nakuru route.

The Ministry also called on owners of shopping malls, entertainment venues and event organisers to work closely with security teams to enhance crowd management and private security arrangements.

“The government remains fully committed to ensuring a peaceful, secure and orderly festive season for all,” MINA said.