Leadership and Command Structures in Multiagency Coordination During Emergency Response in Nairobi County, Kenya

• winnie Nafula Njalale

  Masinde Muliro University

  Author

• Duncan Ochieng

  Author

• Benard Adero

  Author

Effective multiagency coordination is important for timely emergency response to minimise loss of lives and property damage. During emergencies, multiple agencies, such as the fire department, paramedics, police, government agencies, and nongovernmental organisations often respond. Without clear leadership and a well-defined command structure, there is the risk of duplication of roles, wastage of resources, confusion, and loss of lives. The study evaluates the leadership and command structures in multiagency coordination during emergency response in Nairobi County, Kenya. It focuses on how leadership adaptability, accountability, and decision-making processes affect the efficacy of multiagency coordination during emergency response. It uses a descriptive survey research design, questionnaires, and key informant interviews to collect data from key emergency response agencies in Nairobi County, Kenya. A sample of 316 respondents was selected through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The findings show that 72.1% of respondents agree that leaders demonstrate accountability and transparency. However, there are challenges in adapting to rapidly changing emergencies, with political interference occasionally interfering with the established command structures. Further, 67.5% of respondents agree that decision-making processes are generally transparent, but inconsistencies arise when individuals bypass the Incident Command System (ICS). The study recommends enhancing the enforcement of the ICS to ensure streamlined decision-making, adaptation, and accountability through targeted training. This will result in more efficient multiagency coordination and timely emergency response in Nairobi County, Kenya, and beyond. 

1. winnie Nafula Njalale, Masinde Muliro University

   Winnie Nafula Njalale is a scholar in disaster management. She holds a Bachelor of Disaster Management and International Diplomacy from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology and a Master of Arts in Crisis Response and Disaster Management from the National Defence University-Kenya. Her research focuses on disaster risk reduction, emergency response, and international security. She is interested in integrating crisis management strategies in national security frameworks.

2. Duncan Ochieng

   Duncan Onyango Ochieng, PhD, is an Assistant Inspector General of Police and Director at the National Disaster Management Unit in Kenya. With over 24 years of experience in public service, he specializes in national security and disaster management. He holds degrees from Kenyatta University and Masinde Muliro University. A published author and supervisor of postgraduate students, he is skilled in leadership, policy formulation, risk management, and international collaboration.

3. Benard Adero

   Bernard Adero, PhD, holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Geophysics, specializing in geothermal energy, from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, and a double Masters degree in Geophysics/Physics from the University of Tulsa, USA, and Kenyatta University. I work at National Defence University-Kenya as a lecturer and Head of Program in the Kenya Military Academy. Previously, I worked as a research scientist at Ruhr University’s Institute for Geology, Mineralogy, and Geophysics on the project STIMTEC and as a Petroleum Geophysicist with the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) on offshore and onshore geophysical exploration projects.

• pdf

Copyright (c) 2025 winnie Nafula Njalale, Duncan Ochieng, Benard Adero (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.