National Security Council (NSC)
Constitutional mandate, institutional membership framework, and statutory advisory functions of the top-tier national defense and security coordination organ.
Council Overview
- Constitutional Basis
- Established under Article 240 of the Constitution of Kenya
- Council Chair
- H.E. The President (Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces)
- Primary Objective
- Exercising supervisory control over national security organs and internal defense policies
- Statutory Reporting
- Submits an annual state of security report to the National Assembly
Statutory Composition (Membership)
Under Article 240(2) of the Constitution, the National Security Council strictly consists of the following state officers:
- The President — Serving as the Chairperson of the Council.
- The Deputy President — Serving as the Vice-Chairperson.
- The Cabinet Secretary responsible for Defence.
- The Cabinet Secretary responsible for Foreign Affairs.
- The Cabinet Secretary responsible for Internal Security.
- The Attorney-General — Chief legal adviser to the executive government.
- The Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
- The Director-General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
- The Inspector-General of the National Police Service (NPS).
Core Mandate & Functions
The Council integrates national interior, defense, and foreign policies to direct strategic operations:
- Assesses and monitors internal, regional, and international security threats to the Republic of Kenya.
- Coordinates strategy channels and actions across the Kenya Defence Forces, National Intelligence Service, and National Police Service.
- Develops national security policies and advises the President on the declaration of a state of emergency or deployment of regional peacekeeping forces.
- Approves structural deployments and internal capacity upgrades for high-level counter-terrorism and maritime border protection frameworks.
Statutory Legislative Documents
Review the underlying legal frameworks and legislative acts governing defense infrastructure operations:
- Download National Security Council Act, No. 23 of 2012 PDF (450KB)— Operationalizes the administrative functions, council secretariats, and strategic implementation committees.