Police officers aged 50 and above will be automatically promoted to boost morale in the National Police Service (NPS).

Low morale resulting from years of professional stagnation linked to entrenched corruption, ethnicity, nepotism, favouritism and romantic relationships – termed rife in the service – are blamed for high crime incidence within the police force.

Independent reports as well as others by state agencies have in the past linked negligence, human rights abuse, suicide, homicide and high depression in the service are some of the vices cited above.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the promotion plans following research recommendations he made public during the Nairobi County Jukwaa la Usalama Forum at Kenya School of Government at Kabete, Nairobi.

Mr Murkomen said other officers lined up for automatic promotion include constables and corporals who have served for 15 years and police inspectors, who have served for 10 years respectively.

The minister said he instructed Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to provide clarity on the transfer policy for officers in the service, which should in turn address the challenges faced by police officers who have been working in operational areas for more than 10 years.

The cabinet secretary noted that once the policy is complete, an officer working in an operational area should only serve there for three years. The minister also said that all police officers must get an opportunity to serve in every part of the country.

“I have just come from north-eastern and we have agreed that it is unfair for officers to work in an operational area for eight to 15 years, no one should be punished to serve an area forever,” stated Murkomen.

He noted, “We have police officers who have served in Nairobi their entire life. They are just moved around Nairobi area. They have become a part of the problem the city faces.”

On promotion, Murkomen said NPC will also put in place a clear promotion policy that will be fair and not based on favouritism, but reward for exemplary performance.

The cabinet secretary said that the government has already looked into the welfare of the police officers, especially, in the areas of funding for operational duties, mobility and the general wellbeing concerning their working environment.

He said plans are underway to construct modern police stations that are properly equipped with Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and ensure that service delivery in all police stations is provided in a professional manner.

“The Inspector General of Police has already designed a prototype of all police stations in urban and rural areas. Chiefs, assistant county commissioners and county commissioners will also have a standard operational design,” Murkomen disclosed.

The minister said he supports the continuation of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) having seen what it has done in security sector around the country. He asked Members of Parliament to use the fund for the construction of police stations in their constituencies.

He said the government initially wanted to employ about 3,500 police officers but has now revised the number to 10,000 as a result of the shortage of security personnel occasioned by retirement and natural attrition.

“Even though the court has stopped the recruitment, we need it to be done urgently for the officers to secure our borders and to support the next general elections,” he said.

Cabinet Secretary Murkomen said Jukwaa la Usalama forums are vital, noting the convergence of national government administrative officers, police officers, university students, members of the public and all stakeholders, has brought to the fore the challenges of security, illegal alcohol, drugs, gender-based violence and other issues related to crime and how the issues should be addressed through public participation.

“For many years’ people have been taking security issues as sacred and something that has been hidden, most of the time when people want to hide something they will refer to it as a security issue,” he said.

He said the Jukwaa la Usalama has ushered in democracy on issues related to governance, where each individual is given a chance to air their views on issues of security wherever they reside, and how it can be improved, through constant review of security matters and feedback from stakeholders.

Murkomen said his ministry wants to create a friendly police service, where members of the public will respect officers and view them as servants of the people and not enemies. The ministry plans to bridge the gap between citizens and the police service to facilitate direct feedback.

He said the cordial relationship between the police officers and citizens will stop incidences, where members of the public will want to burn police stations, stone officers and destroy property.

The cabinet secretary said that the government intends to set up police stations near colleges and universities to provide security to the students.

Jukwaa la Usalama is a platform where citizens, administrators and security personnel meet to give and receive views on national security policy.

Present at the meeting were the Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Correctional Services Principal Secretary Dr Salome Beacco, Members of Parliament for Dagoretti North Beatrice Elachi, John Kiarie (Dagoretti South), Tom Kajwang (Ruaraka), Yusuf Hassan (Kamukunji) and George Aladwa (Makadara), and Inspector General of Police Service Douglas Kanja, among others.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Bernadette Khaduli