The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Renson Ingonga, CBS, OGW, today delivered a keynote lecture at the National Defence College (NDC) on the theme: “Effective Prosecution of Terrorism and Terrorism Financing: Organized Crimes and Their Impact on National Security.”
Speaking to participants enrolled in the National and Regional Leadership in Strategic Environment Studies course, the DPP outlined Kenya’s progress in countering terrorism through strategic prosecutions, robust legal frameworks, and enhanced inter-agency cooperation.
Mr. Ingonga emphasized the pivotal role the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has played in strengthening the country’s counterterrorism efforts. He highlighted the development of the Inter-Agency Guidelines on Cooperation in Investigations and Prosecution of Terrorism-Related Offenses (2022) as a major milestone, fostering seamless collaboration and intelligence sharing among key institutions.
The DPP also lauded the establishment of the Joint Terrorism Task Force – Kenya (JTTF-Kenya) in 2019/2020—Africa’s first such unit modeled on U.S. best practices—which has significantly bolstered Kenya’s capacity to investigate and prosecute terrorism cases.
In a further step toward professionalizing counterterrorism efforts, Mr. Ingonga revealed that the ODPP has developed a specialized curriculum on terrorism and terrorism financing, soon to be introduced at the Prosecution Training Institute (PTI).
This initiative aims to ensure prosecutors are adequately equipped to handle complex terrorism-related cases.
While acknowledging ongoing challenges, the DPP stressed the need for sustained capacity building, cross-sector collaboration, and institutional learning. He proposed a strategic partnership between the PTI and NDC to promote knowledge exchange and the adoption of best practices.
The lecture concluded with an interactive Q&A session, during which trainees engaged the DPP on legal, operational, and strategic issues in combating terrorism and safeguarding national security.
