A report detailing rampant corruption within the National Police Service (NPS) has exposed bribery in recruitment and how police chiefs pocket traffic bribes.
The report, handed to President William Ruto, also outlines a Sh106 billion modernization plan.
Contrary to the belief that merit and physical fitness guide police recruitment, the report reveals that slots are sold for Sh600,000, allowing bribe-payers to bypass rigorous exercises, including road races.
Similar corruption exists in the recruitment of graduate cadets, benefiting only the children and relatives of the powerful, including senior police officers.
This nepotism ensures the leadership of the service remains in the hands of the elite.
The report highlights how bribes collected from motorists by officers in the Traffic Police Unit are shared up the chain of command.
The competition for bribes has resulted in numerous roadblocks, some placed close to each other.
This criminal enterprise is so lucrative that, in many cases, station commanders surrender their official vehicles, which are then parked at roadblocks and used to collect bribes, rather than performing other priority duties.
These revelations come from the National Taskforce on Improvement of the Terms and Conditions of Service and other Reforms for Members of the NPS, Kenya Prisons Service, and National Youth Service.
The 19-member task force, chaired by retired Chief Justice David Kenani Maraga, presented its report to the president in November 2023.
The report, obtained by leaked.co.ke, recommends the purchase of modern equipment such as helicopters and weapons, along with a pay rise and facility upgrades in a Sh106 billion program to modernize the NPS.
President Ruto has already set the implementation of the Maraga task force’s recommendations in motion, announcing that Sh45 billion has been budgeted for equipment, Sh22 billion for salary and allowance improvements, and Sh37 billion for facility upgrades, including housing.
The report also exposes the dismal state of the police air wing, revealing that 24 aircraft are unserviceable, including five that have crashed.
It further sheds light on tensions between the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and police chiefs, following the transfer of police aircraft to the National Air Support Department (NASD) under KDF.
KDF claims that police were mismanaging the aircraft, while police chiefs argue that since the transfer in 2010, aircraft serviceability has sharply declined.
But it is the shocking levels of corruption within the police service particularly in recruitment, deployment, and promotions that stand out in the report, underscoring a rot long suspected by the public.
The task force cited confessions from within the NPS, which last year had 108,414 uniformed officers.
“Corruption deeply permeates various police processes such as transfers, promotions, and access to allowances,” the report states.
Some officers have never received their transfer allowances, while others have been stuck in hardship areas for up to 10 years, in contrast to those who remain in urban, “lucrative” stations.
Corruption and nepotism in transfers and deployment have led to officers being posted to their home communities, compromising their objectivity.
Female officers, particularly those willing to offer sexual favors, are concentrated in urban areas, the report claims.
On recruitment, widespread complaints were received about rampant bribery, with slots allegedly sold for up to Sh600,000.
The public and officers alike are convinced that police recruitment is a corrupt process, disregarding merit and aptitude, eroding professionalism and service delivery.
The recruitment of graduate cadets is similarly plagued by corruption, with only children and relatives of the powerful being selected, undermining the vision of the Service.
The Traffic Police Unit is singled out as a hub of graft, with officers reportedly paying large bribes for transfers to the unit.
Roadblocks across the country have become bribe collection points, and the report notes that some regions, like Busia, have a roadblock every 10 kilometers.
Weighbridges along major roads are notorious toll stations where officers scramble for deployment.
At police stations, separate Occurrence Books (OBs) for traffic offenses blur accountability, while cash bail collected from motorists is rarely refunded.
Despite the rampant corruption, rogue officers are seldom held accountable due to an elaborate cover-up system.
The report notes that no traffic officer has been dismissed for bribery, pointing to leadership failure or possible complicity at the highest levels.
The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) has encountered hostility from the NPS when investigating corruption, the report reveals.
The task force recommends disbanding the current Traffic Unit and creating a new Traffic Control Unit, using automated systems.
Officers currently serving in the Traffic Unit should not be redeployed to traffic-related duties.
To reform recruitment, the task force suggests raising the minimum Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) grade for police recruitment from D+ to C-, and increasing the minimum recruitment age from 18 to 21 to ensure recruits are mature.
Training duration for constables should be extended to at least 12 months and for cadets to at least 15 months to ensure sufficient theoretical and practical instruction.
The task force also recommends reversing the merger between the Administration Police (AP) and Kenya Police Service (KPS), redeploying the over 24,572 APs integrated into KPS.
President Ruto has announced that the Maraga report will guide reforms in the NPS, AP, and Prisons Service.
Among the priority issues are enhanced medical cover, mental health support, and salary improvements.
The task force recommends delinking police remuneration from the civil service pay scale, proposing a 79% salary increase for constables, from Sh20,390 to Sh36,450.
Senior officers have proposed a 180% salary increase, while new recruits will get a Sh4,000 pay rise, with senior officials receiving up to Sh21,000 more.
The report also reveals big underfunding of the NPS, severely impacting operations.
Regarding prison reforms, the task force highlights rampant corruption, with promotions influenced by political patronage.
This extends to the NPS, where corruption dictates police operations.
The task force has asked President Ruto to negotiate the early exit of current NPSC commissioners to allow for a new team.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has been appointed to oversee the reforms, leading a National Inter-Agency Steering Committee tasked with implementation.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Public Service, National Treasury, and other agencies will support the committee, alongside representatives from IPOA, the Judiciary, and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
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