Why Taskforce Wants Section 87 of NPS Act Amended

The National Taskforce on Police Reforms has called for amendments to Section 87 of the National Police Service (NPS) Act to address concerns raised by junior officers. Led by former Chief Justice David Maraga, the taskforce recommended changes to strengthen the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) and clarify its role. The proposed amendments include establishing a competitive recruitment process for the IAU Director, securing the director's tenure, and explicitly authorizing the unit to enforce discipline and professional standards within the NPS.

Additionally, the taskforce suggested decentralizing the functions of the IAU and preventing it from handling criminal matters within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations' purview. The goal is to establish clearer boundaries between disciplinary processes within the police service and criminal investigations. The taskforce also aimed to reduce rivalry between the Kenya Police Service and the Administration Police Service by harmonizing command and staffing structures.

They proposed maintaining the services' distinction up to the NPS inspectorate level, but beyond that, proposed that gazetted officers not be affiliated with any specific service. Instead, they would be categorized as NPS officers and assigned based on operational needs. The taskforce recommended increasing the Administration Police Service's size and implementing uniform training and promotion standards for all gazetted officers.

This restructuring was intended to foster unity within the National Police Service, reduce competition between its services, and improve their ability to prevent crime and manage security challenges effectively.