Take care of our police welfare but tackle bad policing culture

Anti riot police arrest an activist along Kimathi Street in Nairobi, during the marking of Saba Saba Day in Nairobi, on Wednesday, July 07 2021. [David Njaaga, Standard]

On December 21st last year, President William Ruto appointed a task force under the chairmanship of retired Chief Justice David Maraga on 'improvement of terms and conditions of service and other reforms for members of the National Police Service and Kenya Prison Service'.

This must have seemed like an early Christmas present for officers who have long complained of poor remunerations, deplorable housing conditions and a general neglect of their mental and physical welfare. Whatever reservations we may have about the conduct of police officers most would agree that they get a bad deal from their employer. The task force hit the road running and has covered a lot of ground already. They have visited police stations and prisons as well as holding public engagements in which large numbers of officers aired their grievances and presented proposals to improve their lot.