Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has revealed plans to ban police offices from engaging in romantic relationships with colleagues.
According to the CS, the move is aimed at curbing the rise in sexual harassment and indiscipline cases including murder in the National Police Service (NPS).
The tough rules, which the minister said will be effected by July this year, will bar police officers from dating or marrying their colleagues in the service.
He was speaking on Friday during the induction of new police recruits at the National Police College Kiganjo Campus in Nyeri County.
“We are scaling up the management practice of the police service,” he said.
“We have to adopt a new way [of doing things]. We will create a new gender relations office that will be under the supervision of the Inspector General of Police. Some of the female police officers have filed sexual harassment complaints. I want to assure you that it won’t happen in the future.”
Read: GSU Officer Attached to CS Matiang’i’s Office Kills Wife, Turns Gun on Self
The CS was addressing the issue of rising murder cases in the police service linked to romantic affairs.
“We will adopt a system similar to that of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) which bars the soldiers from getting into intimate relationships with their colleagues. Moving forward, it will be illegal for a police officer to date or get married to a fellow law enforcement officer. If it happens that two police officers fall in love, then one has to leave the Service,” he said.
Early this month, a police officer attached to the CS’s office shot and killed his wife before turning a gun on himself.
Read Also: CS Margaret Kobia Shares Disturbing Statistics on Gender-Based Violence
Hadson Mkondo Wakise, who was attached to VIP protection at the Ministry of Interior, is reported to have shot his wife Pauline Wakasa, a traffic officer attached to Nairobi’s Kilimani Police Station, after domestic wrangles.
The wife had reportedly accused the officer of infidelity.
CS Matiang’i mourned the couple as “young and vibrant” officers.
Read Also: Playing Gender Card? CS Margaret Kobia Under Fire Over Statement On Waiguru Impeachment
“I am deeply pained by the tragic incident involving PC Hudson Wakise and his wife PC Pauline Wakasa both young and vibrant Police officers with brilliant futures tragically ended in their shocking demise,” the CS tweeted.
“It’s a rude awakening to psychosocial challenges amongst some of our young officers that we have no choice but to now pay greater attention to. My sincere condolences to their families and friends.”
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