ACTION REQUEST: IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 000588 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR INL FOR A/S PATTERSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2026 TAGS: PGOV ASEC PINS KCRM PTER KE SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE GOK LAW ENFORCEMENT DEVELOPMENT Classified By: Political Counselor Larry Andre for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: Increased violent crime over the past several months -- highlighted by the January 27 killing of two American Mission family members in a carjacking -- has heightened my concern about the Government of Kenya's ability to adequately respond to both criminal and terrorist threats to its national security. The GOK's efforts to combat these threats continues to be undermined by an inadequate training regimen. Given the GOK's recent hiring increase for its law enforcement services, this is an ideal time to initiate a law enforcement development program which would improve the capacity of the Kenyan police to detect and investigate crime through training in basic police skills. I therefore request expeditious approval of implementation of the General Skills Training, and additional funds to provide Basic Criminal Investigation, Civil Disorder Management Training, and Violent Street Gangs Training courses. END SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST. ¶2. (C) The GOK is struggling to combat increasing insecurity and the threats posed by transnational criminal activity to Kenyan's national security. Recent violent criminal acts throughout the country have heightened my concern about the Government of Kenya's ability to curb criminal activity and threats to its national security. Further, Embassy personnel and family members have been the victims of violent crime twice in the past five months, one critically injured and two slain. The GOK's efforts to combat these threats continue to be undermined by severe budgetary constraints, endemic corruption, and an inadequate training regimen. Since 2004, the GOK has been pursuing an aggressive hiring policy to expand the size of Kenya's security forces. This is an ideal time to initiate a law enforcement development program which would improve the capacity of the Kenyan police to detect and investigate violent crime through training in basic police skills. The train-the-trainer format of this course assures that it has an academy-building impact that imparts state-of-the-art policing skills not only at the recruitment level but also at intermediate and advanced in-service training curricula. This training is critical to supporting Post's strategic objectives, one of which seeks to assist the GOK to combat terrorism and rampant criminality within the rule of law. General Skills Training -------------- ¶3. (C) In light of the above, I request the expeditious implementation of the General Skills Training program for the Kenyan Police Service (KPS). The USG committed to providing General Skills Training, using INCLE funds in the amount of USD 400,000, to the GOK via an Amended Letter of Agreement (ALOA) signed with the GOK on February 10, 2005. The training program outlined in the ALOA calls for the USG to provide General Skills Training, Basic Criminal Investigation Training, and a Field Training Officer Program. ¶4. (C) Kenyan law enforcement critically needs the implementation of the General Skills Training course. KPS senior leadership has endorsed this training for police instructors. This course was originally scheduled to be held in July 2005. However, due to GOK budgetary constraints, the course was postponed. We have been working with the GOK to reschedule this course; however, the issue of costs incurred by the GOK to support their instructors' participation in the training continues to be a significant obstacle. The GOK is willing to assume the burden of the participating instructors' absence from duty for the duration of the course (eighteen weeks),but finds it extremely difficult to allocate sufficient resources to cover the cost of the venue and participants' lodging. I would like to request additional funding to defray the costs of the venue for the training course and instructors' participation, which should include lodging and per diem for course participants. ¶5. (C) While the ALOA also provides for a Field Officer Training program, Kenyan law enforcement would benefit more from an offering of the Basic Criminal Investigation course. The Basic Criminal Investigation Training was successfully conducted in July 2005. Two years on, however, there remains a significant need for such training for the newer elements of Kenyan law enforcement. The KPS continues to undergo a significant hiring initiative, with the police training school recently graduating its largest ever class of new recruits. The new officers among the KPS ranks would benefit greatly from an additional offering of the two-week Basic Criminal Investigation Course. Civil Disorder Management Training -------------- ¶6. (C) I also request additional INL funding to support Civil Disorder Management Training for Kenyan law enforcement to be provided at the earliest opportunity. Given the increasing tribalization of politics in Kenya, we have reason to believe that elections-related and inter-ethnic violence is a distinct possibility in 2007, leading up the 2007 national elections. The GOK's continued reliance on the KPS to mediate disputes linked to Kenya's inter-ethnic violence makes such training even more vital. The Internal Security Minister's recent announcement of a shoot to kill policy for Kenya's criminals underscores the critical need for this type of training. The GOK has requested assistance in this regard in anticipation of election-related violence. We have an opportunity to demonstrate a shared interest in protecting this democratic process as well as to respond to a genuine need in a timely and effective manner. ¶7. (C) Civil Disorder Management Training teaches police managers about the force continuum and the proper way to engage demonstrators and defuse conflict. The training should place significant emphasis on respect for human rights and human dignity and the use of non-lethal force. Careful instruction on the rules of engagement has the potential to save lives, minimize the escalation of violence, and protect every Kenyan's right to participate in the democratic process. Violent Street Gangs Training -------------- ¶8. (C) I also request additional INL funding to support training for Kenyan law enforcement that addresses how to combat violent street gangs at the earliest opportunity. Given the increasing occurrence of violent crime in Kenya and the threat it poses to our personnel, such training is critical to ensuring the safety of our Mission personnel. The most common form of violent crime that affects our Mission personnel is armed carjacking, with three such incidents occurring within the past seven months. It is believed by Embassy law enforcement personnel and the Kenyan Police that these crimes are attributable to various gangs that operate in and around Nairobi. Therefore, training that focuses on proactive investigative techniques targeted against these organized street gangs is desperately needed, especially given the fact that the Kenyan Police merely react to the threat of these crimes only after they occur. Legat Nairobi can provide such training through the FBI's Anti-Gang Unit at FBIHQ. RANNEBERGER