EAPCCO HEADS OF CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE WORKSHOP OFFICIALLY OPENED IN NAIROBI

The workshop for Heads of Centres of Excellence of the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) was officially opened today at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. The EAPCCO Centres of Excellence, first conceived in 2012 during the organization's Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Kampala, Uganda, continue to serve as key platforms for enhancing law enforcement capabilities across the region. This two-day workshop is dedicated to evaluating their progress, strengths, challenges, achievements, and opportunities for improvement. The Inspector General of the National Police Service, Mr. Douglas Kanja Kirocho, was the chief guest. He was represented at the workshop by the Director of the NPS Forensic Laboratory, Ms. Rosemary Kuraru, SAIG, who delivered his remarks. 

IG Kanja reaffirmed the NPS’s unwavering support for EAPCCO, noting that strong regional collaboration is essential in combating transnational crime, terrorism, and cybercrime. He further emphasized the role of the Centres of Excellence in driving innovation, promoting knowledge-sharing, and building interoperable systems to strengthen joint responses to emerging security threats. Speaking at the forum, the EAPCCO CEO and Head of the INTERPOL Regional Bureau in Nairobi, Mr. Africa Apollo, underscored the workshop's importance as a platform for sharing best practices and advancing the development of the centres. He also commended the NPS for its steadfast commitment to the regional bureau through the Office of the Inspector General.

Also in attendance were the DCI Chief of the National Central Bureau (NCB), Mr. Ibrahim Jillo, AIG; the Director of the Counter-Terrorism Centre of Excellence Kenya, Ms. Gatiria Mboroki, AIG; and other directors of centres of excellence and senior officers from EAPCCO member states.