SPEECH BY DR. (ENG.

) KARANJA KIBICHO, CBS PRINCIPAL

SECRETARY/INTERIOR AND CHAIRMAN BCOCC DELIVERED TO
JOC MEMBERS AT THE KENYA SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT,
NAIROBI ON 28th TO 30th SEPT 2016
Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to be with you this morning at this important workshop that
brought together members of Joint Operation Centers at JKIA, KPA and Namanga
border post.

As you are aware globally, border management is increasingly under threat from
cross-border vulnerabilities including terrorism, transnational crimes, wildlife
crimes,

environmental

degradation,

disease

transmission,

human

trafficking/smuggling and proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

Consequently, effective border management is critical in addressing these
challenges while also facilitating legal trade and travel. One way of ensuring
effective border management is to have well trained officers manning the Joint
operation centers. This induction course is just but the beginning of a series of
training programmes for JOC operators at JKIA, KPA and Namanga border post.
For now these centers serve as pilot schemes after which the same will be
replicated to other border points.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Effective border management is critical not only to Kenya but to the Eastern Africa
Region considering that its security continues to suffer from sustained high level
security threats. Kenya in particular continues to suffer from Al-shabbaab terrorist
attacks along its border with Somalia. Further, the presence of large refugee
population in Kenya pose a high risk threat and should be factored into a
comprehensive border management security program. The illegal movement of
persons and merchandise has economic and security repercussions; terrorist attacks
have had a negative impact on tourism and contraband has flooded local markets
while depriving the government of customs revenue.

The inherent multiplicity of tasks and responsibilities and the range of national and
international agencies and interests involved in border management in Kenya, calls
for the use of a coordinated approach. We must change our old way of working
where border officers operate in an environment of mistrust, suspicion, conflict and
even competition. The manner in which we have been working has continued to
undermine security along our borders while also frustrating efforts towards
facilitating free trade and safe travel. However, the future is promising following
the formation of a national coordination institution such as Border Control and
Operations Coordination (BCOCC) committee comprising of your top agency
officers. Accordingly, a national secretariat has also been established to implement
the decisions of BCOCC while also carrying out day to day border management
and coordination matters with border management committees. By extension it was
found extremely necessary to establish JOCs so as to further improve response to
insecurity and ensure proper targeting of potential threats.

As JOC operators, we expect you to strictly implement our directives reaching you
through the BMS and BMCs. And more importantly to work as a team at your
respective points of entry. Since border points refer to land points, seaports and
international airports that link the country to the outside world, we haves drawn
participants from all these points.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This being a kind of a bonding forum, I expect that the discussions become
interactive enough to benefit all of you. Be sure to discuss your challenges and
share practices that have assisted in resolving such challenges.

It is our expectation that by the end of the workshop, you will be able to
understand the need for working together as a team while also appreciating the role
of other agencies. Remember, your role impacts on the roles of other border
officers regardless of whether you are a team leader or member. I therefore urge
you to focus on the discussions and ensure that you contribute effectively.

I wish to impress upon you to serve your country with total commitment and
dedication. The security and socio-economic development of this country is also
the security of your family and your livelihoods.

Thank you all.

Chairman
Border Control and Operations Coordination Committee (BCOCC)
3

Dated: 28th Sept 2016