NAIROBI, Kenya – Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced far-reaching reforms in the National Police Service (NPS), including mandatory CCTV installation and digitized occurrence books, in a bid to transform police stations into “centres of excellence.”
Addressing journalists on Monday, Murkomen said the reforms are part of a new framework aimed at enhancing accountability, professionalism, and transparency within Kenya’s policing system — a move that comes amid public uproar over the death of 26-year-old Albert Ojwang in police custody.
Mandatory CCTV in All Stations
Among the headline measures is the compulsory installation of CCTV surveillance systems in all 1,209 police stations over the next two years.
The systems, Murkomen said, will be directly overseen by each station’s Officer Commanding Station (OCS).
“I will also be proposing legislation to criminalize the tampering of CCTV cameras,” the CS added, saying any failure or malfunction must be reported by the OCS within one hour of detection.
Digitized OBs, Annual Audits, and Fresh Training
Murkomen said all police occurrence books (OBs) must be digitized within a year to reduce manipulation of reports and improve data integrity.
He also ordered annual audits and independent performance reviews for all stations.
“All reforms will be anchored under the command of the OCS, who will be held accountable for implementation at the station level,” he said.
To complement structural reforms, the CS announced that all officers will undergo continuous professional development through annual training programmes focused on restoring discipline and modern policing standards.
Community Policing and Stakeholder Collaboration
The reforms also include enhanced community policing efforts to bridge the trust gap between law enforcement and the public.
Murkomen said the process will involve religious leaders, the Law Society of Kenya, and other civil society stakeholders.
“We want our police stations to be the most trusted institutions within communities — places of refuge, not fear,” he said.
Backdrop of Custodial Death Controversy
Murkomen’s remarks come as investigators unravel discrepancies in police accounts surrounding the death of Albert Ojwang.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has flagged missing CCTV footage from the Central Police Station and contradictory statements from officers.
According to a report from Mbagathi Hospital, Ojwang arrived already dead, with a cold body and head bruises.
Police, however, claimed he injured himself inside a cell and died later at the hospital.
The Director of Public Prosecutions accused Nairobi Central Police Station OCS Samson Taalam of interfering with surveillance footage related to the death of Ojwang, who was booked at the station before being pronounced dead at Mbagathi Hospital with injuries to the back of his head.
