President William Ruto has asked the National Police Service (NPS) to deal decisively with cases of insecurity such as muggings and banditry.
The Head of State said the police service is well-resourced and independent to execute its mandate.
“Muggings, cattle rustling or other cases of insecurity must stop,” he said.
The President was speaking at State House, Nairobi, when he met the new Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome who took oath of office on Friday, November 11.
Ruto calls for synergy
While calling for professionalism in service delivery to Kenyans, the President asked the Inspector General and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) to work together.
“We want a professional police service; the sticky issues of ethnicity, nepotism or cronyism should no longer exist,” he noted.
The President further said that all promotions must be on merit.
On his part, the NPSC Chairman Eliud Kinuthia said the changes in the service were long-overdue.
“We commit not to fail our country since we have resources to deliver,” Kinuthia said.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki and Deputy Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow were among senior state officials who attended the meeting at State House on Friday.
Japhet Koome's promise
Earlier, the IG warned those advancing criminal activities against innocent people noting that stern action will be taken against perpetrators.
On banditry and cattle rustling activities that have rocked the northern part of Kenya in the past few months, the IG reiterated his desire to have these illegal activities classified as terrorist acts.
He takes over office from Gabow who has been acting IG since August 2022 following the retirement of Hillary Mutyambai who left the service due to a medical condition.
On Tuesday, November 8 during his vetting, Koome promised to transform the police service and offer protection for all Kenyans irrespective of region, tribe, or political affiliation.
Koome promised to not only initiate reforms at the NPS but to also stop extra-judicial killings which he said will not happen under his watch as he will ensure that human rights will be respected.
On the new police uniforms, he said he will engage his commanders to come up with a way forward on the matter as it has lowered the morale of officers.
“The truth is that officers are not happy with that uniform. You can imagine an officer leaving his residence wearing a uniform he does not like, that office is unhappy. What do you expect he will do?” he posed.
He assured the joint committee that he will always engaged other investigative bodies such as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to ensure that Kenyans get the best services as well as avoid conflicts.
On corruption, he said he will deal with the menace not only in the service but also in the recruitment of officers.
On mental issues of the officer, he said once approved he will form a directorate of wellbeing that will be chaired by a person whose ranks will be the level of Deputy IG, which will handle the wellbeing of officers following the rise of cases of officers dying by suicide.
The new police boss has served in the police service for the past 31 years, having been enlisted in the then Kenya Police Force in 1991 as a Police Constable.
