The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) Chairman Johnstone Kavuludi has indicated that they are ready to release thousands of officers in drastic reforms.
To avoid conflict of interest within the service, a set of new guidelines set for launching August will ban the police from operating restaurants, pubs and bars, private security firms and PSVs.
According to Kavuludi, the reforms will also offer a window to allow the police to choose between serving as officers or pursuing personal interests.
[caption caption="A police officer interacting with a driver in Nyeri during a past event"]
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"All officers must declare their business interests and apply to the NPSC, through the Inspector General of Police, (Joseph Kipchirchir Boinnet), for clearance.
"Those willing to leave the service are allowed to go home. I know many who left to avoid the vetting and they are doing well," the NPSC Chairman indicated.
During the National Police Service Commission vetting, which started in 2015, many officers were said to operate multiple businesses and declared millions of shillings deposited in their accounts.
However, the officers failed to explain the sources of this money drawing speculation on the possibility of the monies being proceeds of corruption.
"Anyone found guilty will be interdicted, given a chance to defend themselves and dismissed if found guilty," Kavuludi indicated.
Reports by the Star indicate that the reforms also envision a merger to harmonise operations and eliminate overlap of functions.
[caption caption="A police officer interacting with a street boy in the past"]
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The reorganisation is expected to leave hundreds of top officers redundant and untrained officers who joined the service from other positions such district commissioners and district officers deployed to Foreign Affairs or Interior ministries.
