Kenya, UK celebrate success of Sh3.6 billion REINVENT security programme after seven years
The UK-funded programme, which was launched in 2018, focused on strengthening policing, promoting gender equality, enhancing peacebuilding, and integrating climate-security measures.
Kenya and the United Kingdom have marked the successful completion of the seven-year Reducing Insecurity and Violent Extremism in Northern and Coastal regions of Kenya (REINVENT) Programme.
The over sh3.6billion initiative helped strengthen police reforms, improve community security, and expand protections for women and girls across 24 counties.
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The UK-funded programme, which was launched in 2018, focused on strengthening policing, promoting gender equality, enhancing peacebuilding, and integrating climate-security measures.
In particular, it sought to address the root causes of violence and insecurity, strengthen institutional response mechanisms to, among others, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), through establishing survivor-focused centres.
As such, it has been credited for the launch of the SGBV survivor-centred multi-agency service providers dubbed POLICARE centres in the country.
The first one was established in Nanyuki in 2021, and then a situation room was established in Mombasa. The initiative further enhanced gender-based violence response by establishing and strengthening over 60 gender desks nationwide.
The programme at the same time delivered significant impact by supporting national police reforms, updating key laws and policies, and improving services in 66 police stations to enhance service delivery and strengthen coordination between the police and the communities they serve.
It also localised the country's Women, Peace and Security Action Plan and strengthened conflict prevention by creating plans and mediating border and climate-related disputes through regional and county security committees.
Interior PS Raymond Omollo, when he presided over the official closing ceremony of the REINVENT Programme. (MINA)
UK Deputy High Commissioner Rosy Cave noted that when REINVENT was being developed seven years ago, Kenya faced complex challenges: insecurity in frontier counties, gender-based violence, and the urgent need for institutional reforms.
"Over time, REINVENT was a product of its own success, and in proving its value, demand for its interventions grew beyond the northern and coastal regions, and into even more thematic issues. Throughout all this, our shared goal remained clear: to reduce violence, strengthen institutional responses, and empower women and girls as agents of peace and security," she said during an event to celebrate the programme's achievements in Nairobi.
The event was attended by the UK Chargé d'Affaires Dr Ed Barnett, Interior PS Raymond Omollo, Inspector General Douglas Kanja, county officials, and senior representatives from the National Police Service.
On his part, PS Omollo said Kenya's partnership with REINVENT is rooted in a joint security compact between the government of Kenya and the United Kingdom, which recognises that peace and security are the foundation for stability and development.
"I stand here with a lot of appreciation as I reflect on the contributions that this programme has made to our peace and security in our country. We have been able to strengthen police response to sexual gender-based violence and do appreciate REINVENT's support in improving access to services for the survivors," he said.
The UK High Commission said that as the programme comes to a close, government teams are getting trained to inculcate its approaches into official policies while collecting evidence to guide future peace and security projects between the UK and Kenya in line with the new Kenya–UK Strategic Partnership that President Ruto and Prime Minister Starmer signed in July this year.
"Since its inception, the REINVENT programme has delivered measurable results across its work stream. Its impact is evident not only in the output but also in improved systems, strengthened relationships and enhanced policing standards across the country. We acknowledge the thousands of police officers and community actors who benefitted directly from trainings, dialogues and technical engagement and millions of Kenyans indirectly benefitting from improved security through policing services," said John Kamau, the Director of Police Service Reforms.
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