The government needs Sh106 billion to implement reforms within the National Police Service, the Kenya Prisons Service, and the National Youth Service, President William Ruto announced yesterday.
These police reforms were proposed by a task force led by former Chief Justice David Maraga. Ruto made this announcement during the launch of a strategic framework aimed at guiding the implementation of these reforms.
This framework offers a coordinated approach to reform priorities, ensuring alignment among the various institutions involved. Notably, this is the first initiative to develop a strategic implementation framework based on input from relevant organizations.
The National Taskforce on Improvement of the Terms and Conditions of Service for the National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service, and National Youth Service was established by Ruto on December 21, 2022. Chaired by Maraga, the task force was tasked with identifying legal, policy, administrative, and operational constraints affecting service delivery, as well as recommending improvements to service conditions.
The team submitted its final report to Ruto on November 4, 2023. Subsequently, on September 13, the National Steering Committee, led by Interior PS Raymond Omollo, was gazetted to develop an implementation framework for the reform process.
Ruto stated that funding will target key challenges such as career progression, record digitization—including police occurrence books—and the procurement of new equipment. Specifically, Sh22 billion is allocated for enhancing officers’ compensation, Sh37 billion for hardware upgrades and welfare reforms, and Sh45 billion for service modernization.
He mentioned that part of the funding will come from the National Treasury, while additional funds will be sourced from investors. “We recognize the significant financial implications of fully implementing the Maraga task force’s recommendations, estimated at Sh106 billion,” he said.
Ruto also noted that the government has acquired 1,000 e-vehicles for police officers to improve mobility and plans to construct 32,000 houses for security personnel. “Some officers currently live in conditions similar to prisons, which is unacceptable. That’s why we’ve expanded the housing program to include housing for our military, police, NYS, and prisons,” he added.
To implement these reforms, Ruto indicated that various ministries and agencies will coordinate efforts alongside the newly appointed National Steering Committee led by Interior CS Kithure Kindiki. He emphasized the importance of resolving challenges promptly through the committee and incorporating public participation in policy development and any necessary constitutional changes.
The National Police Service, Kenya Prisons Service, and National Youth Service must complete their modernization strategies, and the Treasury is responsible for ensuring adequate funding for these reforms.
A national inter-agency team has been formed to oversee and initiate the implementation process. This committee, led by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, includes senior officials from the Ministry of Public Service, the National Treasury, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, and the National Police Service Commission, among others.
The committee has begun work by examining at least 200 recommendations from the task force’s report and has finalized guidelines for the initial implementation phase. This phase focuses on recommendations that can be executed administratively without additional funding.
As part of this phase, the service charters of the three services have been reviewed, and new service standards developed. Training and sensitization for staff on these new standards and broader service delivery reforms have already commenced, with PS Omollo reporting progress: 65% for NYS, 42% for the Kenya Prisons Service, and 37% for the NPS.
Additionally, the complaints handling processes for all three services have been revised according to the task force’s recommendations. Consultations on implementing recommendations requiring funding—without the need for new policies or legislation—are also well underway, including discussions on a new basic salary scheme for officers in the police, prisons, and NYS.
The report identified key issues, such as political interference in the NPS, corruption in hiring and promotions, and deficiencies in the police training curriculum, as well as the inadequate capacity of the National Police Service Commission and concerns regarding the role of the Cabinet Secretary for national security and the structure of the Internal Affairs Unit within the police.
