Abuse of power within the Police Service remains a significant factor in the failure to prevent or manage crime.
While senior officers at Vigilance House and the Mazingira complex are guilty of this, the worst cases tend to be noted in upcountry postings over which these headquarters apparently have limited oversight.
This was abundantly clear in the saga involving accused ‘impostor’ Joshua Waiganjo, who was allowed or assisted to pass himself off as a reservist or police officer by former Rift Valley Provincial Police Officer John M’Mbijiwe and former Anti Stock Theft Unit boss Remi Ngugi. Disciplinary measures against the two address their misdeeds but the need for changes that ensure junior officers can report such abuse is obvious.
The administrative policies and working conditions that bog down the Police Service and lead to such abuses. In particular, the use of hardship postings as disciplinary measures is now being held responsible for failures to prevent terror attacks and other crimes. A dialogue on how to address this problem is long overdue. We are encouraged by proposals for a Bill to address incentives for officers in arid and semi-arid areas.
The plan, mooted by Laikipia West MP Wachira Karani, should be considered in the context of other changes to the police force meant to ensure better deployment and morale. The introduction of fair, merit-based processes and compensation will go a long way to improve the way the force works. This will also ensure inexperienced officers are not exposed to poor leadership and hazardous conditions as was the case recently in Baragoi and Tana River.
