Government unveils sweeping police reforms to restore public trust

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo during the Principal Secretaries and Accounting Officers Monthly Coordination Meeting on September 3,2025.

The government has announced wide-ranging reforms to the National Police Service (NPS),  aimed at transforming it into a people-centered institution that commands trust and delivers reliable security.

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said the reforms, currently under review, will be anchored in a comprehensive overhaul of laws governing policing in Kenya.

“The objective is to reshape the National Police Service into an institution that  embodies friendliness in its interactions with the public, earns and sustains citizens’ trust, and demonstrates reliability in delivering safety and security,” he said.

The reforms come amid persistent public concerns over police misconduct, welfare gaps, and operational inefficiencies.

 A package of legislative amendments is expected to be tabled in Parliament this year.

Among them is the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Amendment) Bill 2025, which seeks to strengthen IPOA’s investigative and oversight powers to deal with misconduct cases individually rather than condemning the Service as a whole.

The National Police Service (Amendment) Bill 2025 will align policing functions with public expectations, while the National Police Service Commission (Amendment) Bill 2025 proposes online recruitment to enhance transparency and ensure merit-based hiring.

It will also strengthen the Commission’s role in promotions and transfers.

To address welfare concerns, the National Police Service Veterans & Fallen Heroes Bill will formally recognize and support police veterans and families of officers who die in the line of duty.

Other proposed laws include the National Forensic Science Bill, which will establish accredited forensic laboratories and strict chain-of-custody protocols, following gaps exposed during the Kilifi mass grave exhumations.

The Public Order Management Bill 2025 will provide clearer rules for protests and designated assembly zones to minimize chaos and destruction during demonstrations.

PS Omollo stressed that the reforms will institutionalize accountability and professionalism within the service.

“We will continue supporting the NPS through legislation and policy reforms. Next week, the national steering committee will review the progress of technical teams, including input from the State Law Office,” he said.