DNK International By Our Reporter,Mombasa
Ali Nuno Dubat,the Coast region police boss has become one of the most formidable figures in Kenya’s fight against crime.
Nuno,a Commissioner of police,his tenure at the Coast has been defined by an unyielding campaign against gangs, drugs and violent lawlessness that for years undermined public safety and the region’s economic lifeline.
To many, he is the face of decisive policing while to critics he’s a symbol of the hard choices confronting law enforcement in an era of rising and increasingly brazen crime.
A career police officer with more than three decades in the National Police Service, Nuno has had his long service, marked by steady promotion through the ranks, culminated in his elevation to Commissioner of Police and the award of the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) in 2018 for distinguished service to the nation.
His professional journey reflects years of training, command responsibility and operational experience in some of the country’s most demanding security environments.
Nuno in an earlier talk with Daily News Kenya-International when he was still a county commander said that he joined the police service as a young man and steadily built a reputation as a hands on commander.
His rise through the police hierarchy points to extensive leadership and operational training typical of senior officers.
Colleagues have described him as disciplined, direct and deeply focused on results, traits that have defined his approach to crime management.
Before his appointment as Coast Regional Police Commander in January 2025, Nuno served in several high pressure postings.
He was Officer Commanding Police Division in Kayole, Nairobi, where he played a key role in crushing the feared Gaza Gang that terrorised parts of Eastlands.
The Kayole posting earned him national recognition for combining dialogue with uncompromising enforcement, urging criminals to surrender while authorising firm action against those who resisted.
He later served as County Police Commander in Murang’a, overseeing security during sensitive political periods, and in Kwale, where he dealt with terrorism threats, drug trafficking and emerging organised gangs.
At the Coast, Nuno inherited a region long troubled by violent gangs, narcotics networks and sporadic terrorism threats.
Under his command, police operations intensified, targeting known crime hotspots through intelligence led raids, increased patrols and coordinated crackdowns.
Police statistics have pointed to a notable decline in serious crime across the region, developments welcomed by residents, traders and the tourism sector, which had suffered under persistent insecurity.
His most defining battle has been against the notorious “panga boys,” machete-wielding gangs responsible for a wave of robberies and attacks that spread fear across Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale.
Nuno repeatedly accused the gangs of destroying lives and driving away investment, issuing ultimatums for members to surrender and warning parents against protecting criminal children.
His message was clear: the era of tolerance for violent crime was over.
That message reached its sharpest edge on Friday last week, when Nuno publicly warned that armed criminals who confronted police or threatened civilians risked being shot.
He stated that officers had authority, within the law, to use firearms against machete wielding suspects posing imminent danger, and urged hardened criminals to reform, surrender or leave the Coast altogether.
The warning has triggered nationwide debate, hailed by some as long overdue firmness and criticised by others as dangerously blunt.
For the police service, Nuno’s stance reflects the immense pressure to restore order in areas gripped by violent crime, while operating within constitutional limits on the use of force.
For Nuno personally, it reinforced his image as a commander prepared to absorb controversy in pursuit of security, even as his orders place his leadership under close public and legal scrutiny.
Throughout his career, Ali Nuno’s memorable remarks have often blended moral appeal with stern warning, urging young people to abandon crime while reminding officers that the uniform carries both power and responsibility.
As Coast Regional Police Commander, he stands at the centre of Kenya’s evolving crime battle, navigating the fine line between force and restraint in a region where the cost of insecurity has long been too high.
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🗓️ [DNK-International@February 9,2026]
