Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced a sweeping reform agenda aimed at restoring professionalism, discipline, and service excellence in the National Police Service (NPS).
Central to the reform is a new policy that will see the recruitment of specialised officers who will bring modern ideas to promote professionalism within the service.
Speaking at Harambee House on Monday, June 16, Murkomen admitted the need for extensive reforms, adding that the fresh recruitment would go a long way in establishing modern police standards amid a wave of criticism that has rocked the service in recent times.
"In our upcoming police recruitment, we shall include a specific cadre of specialised officers to infuse fresh talent, professionalism and modern police standards throughout the service," Murkomen said.
The CS also announced that all police officers currently in the force would be subjected to regular assessments to elevate the entire force through regular and standardised professional development
“I have directed the establishment of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training for all officers, beginning with the OCSs,” he went on.
“This training will be based on a curriculum aligned with the constitutional values and standards of the National Police Service.”
While emphasising the importance of sustained investment in training, the CS also subtly aimed a dig at the National Treasury, lamenting that police training was often the first casualty in the event of budget cuts.
Murkomen's reforms were brought about by pressure following the controversy surrounding the death of blogger Albert Ojwang.
Besides reforms on the recruitment of officers, Murkomen also issued a directive requiring each police station to have functional CCTV surveillance systems, including live monitoring accessible by the Officer Commanding Station (OCS). The footage must be backed up securely to aid future investigations.
In March 2025, more reforms on recruitment were announced by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, who told the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration that police officer recruitments will be done online.
While responding to a question by the committee, IG Kanja revealed that it was necessary to change the recruitment process to curb fraud cases
