The government is committed to implementing far-reaching reforms to ensure that the police service is motivated, well-resourced, and professional, President William Ruto has said.
Ruto pointed out that there is demonstrable progress in the modernisation of police equipment.
Receiving the End-Term Report of the second National Police Service Commission at State House, Nairobi, on Monday, he said they want to make sure that police officers who put their lives on the line have the protection, equipment, and backing of the government.
The commission was appointed in March 2019 for a six-year non-renewable term.
Members of the commission were Mr Eliud Kinuthia (chairman), Dr Alice Otwala (vice-chairperson), John ole Moyaki, Eusebius Laibuta, Lilian Kiamba and Edwin Cheluget.
Ruto commended the commissioners for their contribution to police reforms and the human resource management of the police service.
“Your stewardship has yielded undeniable improvement in recruitment processes, career progression, discipline enforcement, and the welfare of our officers,” he said.
Present were Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, two deputy IGs Gilbert Masengeli and Eliud Lagat, as well as Directorate of Criminal Investigation Director-General Mohamed Amin.
Key achievements of the second National Police Service Commission include the recruitment of 10, 982 police officers, and 1,128 civilian staff as well the automation of the recruitment process.
Further, they determined more than 16,000 promotions, 26,000 transfers, 1,400 disciplinary cases and 700 appeal cases.
They also implemented the recommendations of the Maraga Report on terms and conditions of service by salary review and implementing phases one and two of salary increments, which boosted morale in the rank and file of the service.
Kinuthia thanked the President for defending the commission against a proposal in the Building Bridges Initiative, which would have seen the commission replaced with a Police Council.
“Had this amendment seen the light of day, the net effect would have been permanent abolition of the commission and the tenets upon which the commission was established by the Constitution,” he said.
Ruto said one of his first tasks upon taking office was to restore the operational and financial independence of the police service.
“In my consideration, it was what was going to make a difference between running a professional service and one influenced by other considerations,” he said.
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