CCTV to be mandatory in all police stations - CS Murkomen

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen addressing the media in Nairobi on March 10, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen now says that all police stations across the country will be required to install CCTV cameras as part of a government push to enhance transparency and accountability within the police service.

Addressing the press on Monday, June 16, 2025, Murkomen revealed that while some stations already have CCTV cameras, many of these were informal setups not approved by the National Police Service.

According to the CS, installations will be standardised and implemented uniformly across the country.

"All police stations must be equipped with CCTV surveillance and a backup system within two years to enhance transparency and accountability," he stated.

"We are also proposing legislation in Parliament to criminalise any tampering with the CCTV systems."

He added that each Officer Commanding Station (OCS) will be responsible for overseeing the management and functionality of the surveillance systems.

To maintain system integrity, the CS directed that any malfunctioning equipment be reported within one hour through the chain of command.

Additionally, all stations will be required to store external backups of footage to prevent data loss or manipulation.

Murkomen said the initiative will cover all 1,209 police stations in Kenya and is part of a broader reform agenda aimed at restoring public confidence in law enforcement.

His remarks come hours after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) told Milimani Court that Nairobi Central Police Station OCS Samson Taalam interfered with crucial evidence related to an ongoing investigation into the death of Albert Ojwang in police custody.

The DPP says that Taalam, who is the custodian of station records and CCTV systems, hired a technician to tamper with surveillance footage at the Central Police Station - an act believed to be an attempt to obstruct justice.