KEPSA Security Sector Board held an engagement meeting with various associations in the security sector on 22^nd November 2022 at KEPSA offices. The main agenda of the forum was to discuss and harmonize critical challenges faced in the sector and come up with actionable outcomes that will create a conducive business environment for the security sector.

In her opening remarks, Ms Annette Kimitei - KEPSA Security Sector Chair, thanked members for honouring the meeting on short notice. She went ahead to appreciate the associations present who form part of the critical discussions in the security sector in Kenya.

On his part, Mr Cosmas Mutava - KEPSA Security Sector Board Vice-Chair, appreciated the efforts shown by the various associations for agreeing to sit and address the challenges in the sector.

Members were taken through the various subsectors in the KEPSA Security Sector Board during the meeting. This included; Counter Terrorism which is guided through training and penetration tests led by the National Counter Terrorism Centre, which has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with KEPSA signed on November 2019. The other subsectors are Disaster Risk Management, Cyber security, Immigration on matters dealing with passport delays, policy and regulations, and Election Preparedness which had partnered with Mkenya Daima relating to the concluded August 2022 polls.

The critical agenda of the meeting was to review the key challenges in the security sector and propose solutions. Some of the challenges presented were; Fair remuneration to guards, delayed payments, lack of standards in the sector, training, rogue employees, information sharing, double taxation, a multiplicity of licenses, police reforms, welfare structures, urban planning, and prevention of crime as a result, and community policing among others.

Ms Agatha Juma – KEPSA Head of Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) emphasized the need for the security sector to align its issues to the sitting Governments agenda. She noted that the security sector has rich potential as it is one of the highest employers. Members were also informed that among other key indicators is creating a conducive and competitive business environment which will inspire job creation as well as spur jobs.

As a way forward, the Security Sector agreed on the following as the next steps:

• Information dissemination and accessible communication using WhatsApp.
• Formation of four committees: Police reforms, training, crime and security updates (monitor crime)
• Security sector engagements and stakeholder mapping.
• Welfare in the sector
• Disaster Risk Management.
• Self-regulation in the sector