The new Kenya Police Service Act 2011 will require police officers from the rank of Inspector to the Inspector General of Police Service to have acquired University degrees. This means that from the current holders of positions of Commissioner of Police to those holding the rank of inspectors, approximately 94.8% could go home. This constitutes some of the officers who have given Kenya and the police force exemplary service having proven and clean records in their files. This vaccum cannot be filled overnight and the consequences will beyond imagination.
Indeed, there are quite a number who should be sent home. Some of these, if they have any commonsense should not even appear before the vetting board and should quietly leave before the new dispensation is established. A great number of Kenyans know them and will not hesitate to submit their proven evidence to the board.
Most of these officers have acted dishonorably whilst holding various ranks where their interaction with public was very close. Kenyans should be bold enough to name and shame them and send out evidence confidentially, in writing or by personal appearance before the board. The Constitution while proposing the establishment of a Coroner's Office to examine deaths resulting from shootings by policemen is silent on what happens when a policeman is shot in the line of duty.
In the US, resources and personnel are expended to find and arrest anyone who kills a law enforcement agent, be it a policeman, an FBI agent or a marshall. By remaining silent on this issue, it is an open season for the Kenyan policemen who will be at the mercy of criminals who seem to have more rights! It seems that the constitution has— in trying to change the public’s fear of the police— fallen prey to civil society and human rights activists’ demands which will render the police ineffective in their responsibility of maintaining law and order.
What the constitution requires of the new Kenya Police Service, has missed this important part. They have gone overboard and given in to these activists demands which unfortunately do not work in the real world. The policeman on the beat wishes to see a peaceful and prosperous Kenya. He routinely reads the daily press, has read the constitution and knows exactly what is required of him. He has no voice in the public domain because of the prohibitions imposed by the Police Act.
So whilst the KNHCR and others appear biased against the whole police force, they should not be put in positions where they sit in judgement of the very people they seem to hate. One only has to read past comments made by some of people chosen to vet the policemen to realize that the exercise may not go off as smooth as expected.
The faces I see of the young policeman and policewoman in Malindi, Kilifi and Mombasa has changed with the times. He is full of courtesy, polite and has stopped speaking the Kiganjo Kiswahili. We must recognise this fact instead of heaping scorn on all the police. Some of them deserve to be removed for their evil deeds but let us show some grace to the good officers and support them during this difficult period.
The vetting of of the officers should be conducted in public like that of the Judicial Service Commission and on live television for all to see, even if it takes 90 days to complete. Everything must be above board so that Kenyans are satisfied that justice is our shield and defender.
Fadhili Namoya comments on topical issues.
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