KILIFI, Kenya – In an address during a public security baraza at St. Thomas Girls Secondary School in Kilifi Town, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen highlighted the significant operational challenges faced by police forces across the country.
A staggering 50pc of police stations are without vehicles, and 40pc of National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) are similarly lacking transport, he revealed.
According to Murkomen, the lack of mobility for law enforcement personnel is one of the biggest obstacles in Kenya’s ongoing battle against insecurity.
“The lack of vehicles is a nationwide issue. Police chiefs and officers, as well as NGAO staff, are facing immense challenges in effectively carrying out their duties due to the lack of mobility,” Murkomen said.
While acknowledging the severity of the issue, the CS reassured the public that the government is actively working on a solution.
The Treasury has already begun procurement of 5,000 vehicles, which will be distributed across the police service, NGAO, and prisons.
The vehicles, Murkomen noted, will help ease mobility challenges for officers on the ground.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Interior is preparing to provide 1,000 electric vehicles to NGAO officers in Kilifi and other towns, part of a broader strategy to reduce fuel costs and enhance the efficiency of operations.
This initiative aims to support officers in urban and remote areas alike while cutting down on maintenance costs associated with conventional vehicles.
Murkomen acknowledged that while the procurement of vehicles would help address immediate mobility concerns, it would not solve all the operational challenges facing the security sector.
“The reality is that the shortage of officers is another key issue. Our police force is understaffed, and this impacts everything from daily operations to rotation policies,” he said.
In an effort to tackle this challenge, Murkomen announced that the government plans to recruit 10,000 new officers within the next three months.
“We need more personnel to ensure that our security forces can function effectively and sustainably,” he said.
Concerns were also raised during the event about the long tenures of some officers, which have led to overly familiar relationships with local communities, compromising law enforcement.
Jukwaa la Usalama Nationwide Tour, Kilifi County The Jukwaa la Usalama town hall meetings have afforded us a valuable opportunity to learn first-hand, the challenges Wananchi experience when seeking government services at the grassroots. At the same time, we have been able to
Chief Inspector Christopher Nyamawi of Mtwapa Police Station noted that some officers had overstayed in their posts for over ten years, which he said complicated efforts to enforce the law.
“When officers have been in the same community for so long, they become too familiar with the locals, which can make it difficult to enforce regulations and laws,” Nyamawi explained.
The challenges of understaffing were echoed by Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi, who highlighted the struggle at Langobaya and Kakuyuni police stations, both of which are severely understaffed.
Langobaya, she noted, has just 13 officers to cover a vast area, while Kakuyuni is operating with only four officers, two of whom are unfit for duty.
Mnyazi argued that the shortage of personnel has contributed to the rise of criminal gangs in the area, emphasizing the need for more officers to restore order and public safety.
“The current staffing levels in Malindi are not enough to address the security challenges facing our residents. The proliferation of criminal gangs is a direct result of this shortage,” Mnyazi said.
Murkomen stressed that improving police welfare and addressing the personnel shortage will require a budget allocation of Sh2.5 billion.
“We must prioritize the welfare of our officers, and that means increasing our numbers and improving their working conditions,” he said.
Despite the challenges, the CS expressed optimism that with the planned reforms, including the recruitment of new officers and procurement of more vehicles, the government would be able to enhance the capacity of the National Police Service and NGAO to maintain law and order across the country.
