The government will modernise the National Police Service at a cost of Sh28 billion over the next two years, President William Ruto has said.
Ruto said the government will seek the views of police officers on the their preferred uniform.
The ambitious modernisation programme will include new equipment and weapons, digitisation of police operations as well as constructing new housing units for police officers.
“I want to commit that I intend to see the process of modernisation to completion in the next two years so that we can have the equipment, vehicles and ammunition necessary to protect our country,” he said.
He made the remarks when he launched the National Police Service and State Department for Correctional Service Strategic plans for 2023-2027 at the Kenya School of Government, Lower Kabete, Nairobi.
So far, Ruto said the government has spent Sh2 billion to raise the standards within the service.
He said 1,000 new vehicles will be acquired for the police early next year under the police leasing programme in an effort to alleviate the shortage at police stations across the country.
He said plans are at an advanced stage to procure 2,000 more vehicles.
To improve police officers’ living conditions, President Ruto said 582 new housing units have been completed, while another 1,000 are at different stages of construction. The aim is to build 17,000 new units for police officers.
“It is our intention to make sure that many of our policemen and women, who discharge a very sensitive responsibility of protecting all of us, work in conditions that help them discharge that responsibility,” he said.
Generally, Ruto said Kenyans serving in the security sector will also benefit from the government’s Affordable Housing Programme.
Additionally, Ruto said the government will continue the digitisation of police operations to bring them to international standards.
“We need a modern police service and technology is key to this. We must ensure we digitise operations, including the famous OB (Occurrence Book),” he said.
He commended the police for doing a good job to keep Kenyans safe under difficult working conditions.
“I want to commend the leadership of the police and all policemen and women for what they are doing in protecting citizens, their lives and property,” he said.
However, President Ruto reminded them that Kenyans expect them to shed old habits that have soiled the reputation of the police such as extrajudicial killings.
He pointed out that while it is a constitutional imperative for the police to operate within the law at all times, it is important that Kenyans support hardworking officers and stop vilifying them.
He also commended the police for speedy investigation of the alarming cases of killings of women, but noted that eradicating the vice will require a concerted approach.
He urged parents to be the moral guiding lights to their children, and called on religious leaders to play their part, too, in combating the menace.
Present at the function were Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, United Kingdom High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan, Principal Secretaries Raymond Omollo, Salome Beacco and Julius Bitok, and Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, among others.
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