Change of uniform, no independence: Inside the failed police reforms
Better funding and equipment alone cannot transform policing without fundamental changes to leadership, independence, professionalism, integrity and institutional accountability.
The national taskforce on police reforms, led by retired Chief Justice David Maraga, made several key recommendations in its report. One of the main findings was that the Security Laws (Miscellaneous Amendment) Act 2014 was intended to weaken the National Police Service's (NPS) independence. The report criticized the amendments for removing the National Police Service Commission's role in hiring the Inspector General (IG) and two deputies, instead giving the President full power to nominate them directly.
This change, according to the taskforce, stripped the police of their independence as guaranteed by the Constitution.
The taskforce called for the immediate reinstatement of the constitutional requirements for competitive hiring of the IG, Deputy Inspectors-General, and Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI). They also recommended a fresh round of vetting for officers from the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police and above. The report argued that competitive hiring would ensure professional selection and appointment of suitable individuals, enhance public trust in police leadership, and improve overall police morale and service delivery.
Written by urgent.news from The Standard Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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