Kenya has announced to recruit 10,000 police officers in the next three months to strengthen security in areas marred by insecurity and a shortage of officers.

Speaking at a town hall meeting with the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO), National Police Service and residents of Kilifi County, Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Onesmus Kipchumba Murkomen noted that the overstretched police service has a hard time patrolling some areas in the country because of their limited numbers.

“On the part of the number of police officers, we are planning to recruit 10,000 police officers in the next two-three months to allocate police stations with enough officers,” he said.

He also said that apart from recruiting police officers, the government is working on a budgetary allocation to fill all vacant National Government Administrative Officers’ posts.

To enhance proper execution of duties, the CS said the government will purchase 5,000 vehicles for both police officers and National Government Administrative Officers.

“Our goal is to ensure we have allocated them vehicles, already procurement of 5,000 vehicles is in the process. These vehicles will be given to NGAO officers, prisons and national police service,” he said.

Murkomen attributed the need to increase the number of vehicles to the fact that almost half of police stations in the country do not have vehicles while 40 per cent of NGAO officers do not have mobility, which has in turn derailed the implementation of the rotation policy amongst police officers leading to overstaying in one station.

“Yes, there is a need for rotation, but how will we rotate police officers when we do not have enough? With the pressure the police officers have with operations, especially in border areas where specialised and experienced officers are needed even when one wants to rotate it is impossible,” the CS explained.

Murkomen noted that previously, the government had embarked on modernisation in the security docket and, therefore, it was the right time to focus on the inadequacy of both manpower and vehicles.

He emphasized that police officers and National Government Administrative Officers’ (NGAO) welfare is paramount to ensure security is maintained in the country. This comes amid a surge in criminal gangs in Kilifi, Kwale, and Mombasa Counties.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Stephen Mrira