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Why Kanja’s police reform efforts are on the right track
Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja.
The Constitution recognises the crucial role of the National Police Service (NPS) in upholding the rule of law and fairness within society. It acknowledges that the service, as originally established by the colonial government and perpetuated by subsequent administrations, needed to undergo significant transformation to better serve the people's needs.
Under articles 243, 244, 245, and 246, the Constitution established the NPS to shift its focus from a force to a service. This transformation was intended to redefine the police's role from mere enforcers of authority to partners in ensuring public safety and security. The vision was for a police service characterised by professionalism, discipline, transparency, accountability, adherence to human rights standards, and strong community relationships.
However, despite these aspirations, the desired transformation of the police service has yet to be fully realised, even 15 years after the Constitution came into effect. As someone who has been involved in the police transformation process both before and after the constitutional changes, including serving on the Ransley Task Force and as chairman of the National Police Service Commission (NPSC), I can attest that the leadership of the NPS has been a significant barrier to meaningful progress.
Powerful police force
From the outset, the leadership of the NPS under the new Constitution was determined to uphold the historical legacy of a powerful police force serving the interests of the ruling class.
Successive Inspector Generals continued this tradition, neglecting the necessary reforms mandated by the Constitution. However, there are signs of progress in the reform efforts of the police service under the current IG, Douglas Kanja.
Article 244 of the Constitution emphasises the importance of professionalism and discipline within the NPS, a goal that the IG has begun to pursue.
Under Mr Kanja's leadership, the NPS has successfully recruited over 1,000 civilian specialists to handle administrative tasks, allowing police officers to focus on maintaining law and order.
This restructuring has also streamlined oversight processes, with civilian professionals now subject to parliamentary scrutiny and professional standards, rather than dual oversight from police command and Parliament. Previously, police leadership vehemently opposed the inclusion of civilian professionals within the service, with one IG even barring them from accessing police offices for an extended period.
Another reformist action I have observed under Mr Kanja's leadership is the commitment to prevent corruption, promote transparency, and ensure accountability within the service. His decision to engage the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to conduct an audit of NPS systems and recommend necessary actions to combat corruption marks a significant milestone in addressing a vice that has tarnished the reputation of police officers. Eliminating corruption within the police service requires systematic, structural, and institutional reforms that target the root causes of graft.
Promotion of transparency
Mr Kanja has also prioritised the professionalisation of the police service and the promotion of transparency through the integration of technology into police operations, starting with the digitisation of the Occurrence Book and the implementation of instant fines.
There is also a noticeable increase in interactions between police officers and the public, a development that is expected to greatly improve policing efforts nationwide.
The current IG’s knowledge of the governance framework of the police services as provided in the Constitution and the National Police Service Act, as well as other reforms, are the strengths that set him apart from his predecessors. This gives hope that at last we are on track to transforming the police service.
Mr Kinuthia is a former chairman of the National Police Service Commission
