State unveils Sh20 billion security surveillance expansion planned before polls

The government is pushing ahead with a Sh20 billion plan to expand the National Integrated Security Command and Control Centre (IC4), in a move aimed at tightening surveillance and strengthening emergency response systems as the country prepares for next year’s elections.

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo told the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security that the upgraded system will widen its reach beyond Nairobi and Mombasa to include Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru and Nyeri, improving coordination in key urban centres.

He said the project is designed to unify security operations by bringing together advanced monitoring tools, digital Occurrence Books (OB) and the government administration officers’ system, which connects chiefs and local administrators into one national network.

“The project cost estimate is about Sh20 billion and we expect implementation to be completed within one year so that, by June next year, ahead of the elections, it will be fully operational,” Omollo said.

Omollo added that the new IC4 programme builds on the earlier system launched around 2014 but introduces stronger maintenance structures to ensure long-term functionality beyond contract periods.

The expansion is also aligned with a wider police modernisation agenda that includes upgrades in equipment, mobility and operational support for security agencies.

But the plan faced scrutiny from MPs who questioned procurement clarity, spending commitments and overall transparency in the rollout of such a large-scale project.

Rarieda MP Protus Akuja asked for detailed disclosure on the financial and operational framework behind the upgrade.

“We wish to have full disclosure of the total project cost, procurement details, implementation timelines and anticipated future funding obligations to ensure transparency and avoid cost overruns,” Akuja said.

Committee members also pressed the Interior State Department over the police modernisation allocation, raising concerns about the condition of the National Police Service Air Wing.

Committee chair Gabriel Tongoyo said many aircraft were reportedly not operational, pointing to challenges within the fleet.

“There are a lot of problems with the air wing. I think there is always one flying while others are faulty,” Tongoyo said.

Omollo responded by confirming that helicopters remain part of the modernisation plan, noting that procurement had initially been delayed but not abandoned.

“I wish to confirm that helicopters are part of the modernisation plan. We also intend to repair one helicopter to support police operations,” he said.

He further explained that the programme will also cover drones, vehicles, crowd-control equipment and ammunition to support policing during high-pressure periods.