Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has officially designated parts of Masalani in Garissa and Tana River counties as protected areas, restricting access.

In an official notice dated May 16, the CS announced that the Masalani National Intelligence Service Campus in Masalani and Jamhuri areas in Garissa County and the Masalani National Intelligence Service Campus, Tana River County, have been placed under heightened security.

According to Murkomen, entry to the restricted areas will be strict and regulated by the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), Noordin Haji.

''IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by section 3 (1) of the Protected Areas Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration orders that the Masalani National Intelligence Service Campus Protected Area Order, 2025,'' the notice read in part.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen speaking during the joint meeting of Cabinet Committees hosted by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at Karen, Nairobi.

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Kipchumba Murkomen

The move, in line with the Protected Areas Act (Cap. 204), means that unauthorised persons cannot enter or operate within the restricted zones without formal approval.

The Protected Areas Act (Cap. 204) allows the government to restrict access to certain areas for security and public safety.

Some of the areas surrounding Masalani include Majengo, Wenje, Garsen, Hola, and Fajua in Garissa County. Residents from these areas and others would now need approval from Haji before accessing the area.

Although the CS did not outline why the areas were declared as protected areas, being NIS facilities, the areas house sensitive intelligence operations, requiring strict access control.

Restricting access also ensures that only authorised personnel can enter, reducing potential security threats, and it also ensures intelligence activities remain confidential.

The designation of protected areas isn't new; in 2011, the government declared the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Embakasi Aviation Depot areas, including the LPG plant, bitumen plant, and petroleum depots, as protected areas to prevent unauthorised access.

Kaya Forests along Kenya’s coastal region in Kilifi, Kwale, and Mombasa counties have also been previously declared as protected areas.

These sacred forests, significant to the Mijikenda community, have been protected under Kenyan law and UNESCO conventions to preserve cultural heritage and biodiversity.

NIS DG Noordin Haji during the inaugural public lecture at the National Intelligence & Research University on Kenya’s evolving security landscape challenges and opportunities, March 28, 2025.

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Ministry of Defense