Ali Nuno Dubat: Rank, deployments & achievements of tough-talking police commander

On 7 February 2026, Coast Regional Police Commander Ali Nuno Dubat issued a shoot-to-kill directive targeting the ‘Panga Boys’ and other machete-wielding gangs responsible for a spate of violent crimes across Mombasa, Kilifi, and Kwale.

This latest order is consistent with a three-decade-long career defined by an aggressive stance against organized crime and a preference for direct field operations.

Ali Nuno Dubat holds the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP).

A veteran of the National Police Service (NPS), he was awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) on December 12, 2018 for his service.

His command history reflects a pattern of deployment to high-pressure regions:

• Coast Regional Police Commander: Appointed in January 2025, Nuno transitioned from his role as the County Police Commander (CPC) for Kwale to lead the entire Coast region.

• Kwale County Police Commander: Prior to his regional elevation, he served as the top police official in Kwale, where he focused on counter-terrorism and dismantling local criminal networks.

• Director of Corporate Communications: In early 2024, Nuno had a brief stint at the National Police Service Headquarters as the Director of Corporate Communications before returning to field command.

• Murang’a County Police Commander: Between 2022 and 2023, he managed security in Murang’a, notably overseeing the peaceful conduct of the Kandara by-elections in January 2023.

• Nairobi Command (OCPD Kayole): In 2016, as a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Nuno served as the Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) for Kayole. This tenure solidified his national profile as a ‘tough-talking’ commander.

Nuno gained national prominence for his tenure as the OCPD of Kayole, where he led the crackdown on the ‘Gaza Gang.’

Between 2015 and 2017, the gang, composed largely of armed teenagers, terrorized Nairobi’s Eastlands.

Nuno’s strategy involved a combination of public amnesties and lethal force.

In June 2015, he successfully negotiated the surrender of over 60 gang members.

However, he maintained a ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy for those who refused to hand over illegal firearms, leading to the eventual dismantling of the group’s core leadership.

During his time as the Kiambu County Commander and Thika OCPD, he focused on the notorious Kiandutu slums.

He issued several ultimatums to criminal elements hiding within the settlement, warning that the slum would no longer be a safe haven for illegal activities and  significantly disrupting the recruitment of youth into crime.

Nuno is known within police circles for ‘leadership by surprise,’ often testing his own officers' integrity through undercover operations.

In February 2025, shortly after assuming the Coast regional command, he posed as a victim of a mugging and visited Kisauni Police Station in civilian attire.

When the officers on duty refused to record his statement or offer assistance, he revealed his identity and immediately initiated disciplinary action against the station's leadership.

As the current Coast Regional Commander, Nuno has shifted his focus toward multi-agency operations.

In March 2025, he oversaw a major crackdown on drug trafficking in Kilifi, which led to the arrest of 13 key suspects and the seizure of various narcotics.

His recent directive against the Panga Boys in 2026 continues this pattern of using decisive, televised warnings to signal the start of intensive security sweeps.

Across his three decades of service, from the streets of Kayole to the Coast, Ali Nuno Dubat has established himself as a commander who prioritises operational results over administrative diplomacy.