APS Band Programmes, Activities And Projects

In the Kenyan society just like in any other society of the world, music plays a vital and integral role in different measures to suit its various situations in life. Music provides society with reference and aesthetics which are expressed in a professional manner. It expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot be silent.

The AP Band on its operations fulfills its mandates according to Sec 26 (f) of the NPS Act 2011 and Administration of the Unit as stipulated in the National Police Service Standing Orders. The Band is actively engaged across the country in performance of its functions in promoting relations with the community and dispensation of its integral role in the social- cultural and national values.

Further, the Bands mission of providing quality music to contributes to sustainable peace and tranquility through creation of awareness, education and entertainment for good relations with the broader society) go hand in hand with NPS Transformation agenda for people centred policing as derived from the Kenya Constitution 2010 which requires the NPS members to foster and promote relationships with the broader society for a safer and secure environment towards the realization of Kenya vision 2030.

This will be enabled through the following main functions of the AP Band;

  1. Performing during Presidential Functions,
  2. Perform during their National Day celebrations,
  3. Participating in Regional, National and International trade fares
  4. Community outreach activities
  5. Performing during in the training colleges ceremonies
  6. Continuous training of Band personnel.
  7. Partnership in training of other National government  Agencies, County Government Agencies and private music institutions
  8. Any other duty that may be directed to perform by the Deputy Inspector General of Administration Police.

Therefore APS operates by serving the Kenyan society in the following ways; Peace Building and National Cohesion, National/State functions, branding the service, outreach program and psycho-social support.

Peace Building and National Cohesion

The Kenyan society is currently facing security challenges such as ethnocentric tensions, inter-tribal clashes, proliferation of small firearms, acts of terrorism and criminal gangs among others. In this regard, the APS band uses music as a tool to advocate for peace and unity. This is enables the APS to achieve its function of coordinating with complementing Government Agencies in conflict management and peace building as provided for under sec 27 (i) of the NPS  Act, 2011.

In appreciation of the work by Kenyan Patriotic music composers, the AP Band has arranged numerous pieces of music to be performed in various functions, hence registering a positive impact in service delivery.  Tunes like “Kenya Nchi Yetu’’ (Kenya our Country) and ‘Kenya Nchi Yangu’ (Kenya my Country) ‘Tushangilie Kenya’ (Lets rejoice and celebrate our Nation Kenya) are popular hits in our societies and have been arranged in this Band and they really make people have the spirit of peace, unity and cohesion.

The Kenyan society are also served with this band as a way of creating relations with the police, a need necessitated by the poor relation based on historical negative attitude of the members of public toward police.

National/State Functions

National holidays and state functions are such events which reinforce the attitude of Patriotism to our nation amongst the citizens about. These state functions focus on our history as ‘a people’ with one common understanding. They include National holidays such as Jamhuri Day, Mashujaa Day and Madaraka Day. Apart from performing in internal trade fairs, symposium and conferences, the Band also performs during visits by Heads of different states and international dignitaries.  Furthermore, the APS band supports Government ministries in achieving their objectives by performing music to entertain guests and also make the function official by performing the Kenya National Anthem at the begging and end of the function. Other functions where the Band performs include but not limited to APS Recruits passing-out parades and APS annual end year excellence award ceremony. APS band adapt national patriotic and folk tunes to be performed for entertainment purposes.