President William Ruto, during his Jamhuri Day celebration speech on Monday, announced that he will soon form a taskforce to lead the process of instigating police reforms in Kenya.

During the 59th Jamhuri Day event at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, President Ruto pledged to establish the team to lead police reforms before the year ends to set the process in motion.

The Head of States says the taskforce will have the mandate of revisiting and revising the terms of service of all police officers working under the National Police Service (NPS).

Kenya Kwanza, during presidential campaigns ahead of the August 9 General Election, promised to implement far-reaching restructurings in the police service to improve the welfare of all police officers.

Ruto noted that recently effected changes in NPS had already started bearing fruits led by granting it financial autonomy to ensure efficiency, professionalism and accountability.

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“On my first day in office, I also executed the necessary instrument to actualize the financial independence of the National Police Service in the realization that this is the substantive enabler of genuine institutional independence. The operational independence of the police is necessary for its efficiency, professionalism and accountability,” said Ruto said.

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Dr Ruto intimated that the service is re-orienting its operations to stop over-relying on illegal and extra-judicial interventions to greater vigilance and relationship with the citizens.

“There is now consensus that a new policing paradigm is at hand, and it is possible to achieve a high level of security for our citizens and also observe their rights and freedoms to the greatest extent," he said as he commended the police for their work,” he intimated.

PHOTO/PCS

He added that officers from the top to the bottom ranks in the police service had embraced the new reforms initiated under the Kenya Kwanza administration.

“I, therefore, commend the entire national police service, from the constable on the beat to the Inspector-General, for the enthusiasm with which they have embraced the changes and enhanced our general security through increased vigilance and improved relationships with citizens and their communities. Before the end of the year, I will be appointing a taskforce to review the terms of the police service,” he concuded.