As part of its work to improve terms and conditions of service for police and prison officers, the task force led by former Chief Justice David Maraga began taking views from stakeholders on Monday. Stakeholders include current and retired officers, members of civil society working on police reform, communities, and professional organisations.

The task force presents another opportunity for a candid conversation about policing in Kenya since the 2007-8 post-election violence (PEV) when the various commissions of inquiry and task forces recommended structural changes that became manifest after the 2010 Constitution was passed. Numerous improvements have been made since then. Officers and stations are more approachable; civilian oversight and other institutional changes have been made.

Before 2010, many had argued that the police and most law enforcement instruments had been created by the colonial administration and hadn’t been recalibrated for the new era. They were initially used to protect colonial administrations but were later used to preserve regimes after independence. Due to this, the police were only accountable to the president as a tool of regime protection.