NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Assembly’s Committee on Administration and Internal Security has backed sweeping reforms to strengthen the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), including granting it budgetary autonomy, arming its officers, and expanding its investigative team by more than 300 personnel.
The committee said IPOA’s effectiveness in enforcing police accountability has been hampered by financial constraints and understaffing, warning that the current structure undermines the authority’s independence.
“In regards to amendments to the IPOA Act, IPOA should present to the Committee… a draft Bill with the proposed amendments to Section 34(3) to ensure budgetary autonomy without Cabinet Secretary approval,” the MPs said in their report, following a recent fact-finding mission to South Africa.
In the 2024/25 fiscal year, IPOA requested Sh2.2 billion to run its operations, but Treasury allocated just Sh1.3 billion—59 percent of the request.
Legislators noted that the shortfall has left the watchdog overstretched, relying on just 77 investigators to monitor a police service of roughly 120,000 officers.
The committee said financial independence would allow IPOA to prioritise the recruitment of investigators and legal officers to fill 404 approved posts, improve compliance with oversight regulations, and raise the quality of investigations.
Lawmakers also endorsed IPOA’s request to arm its officers, saying enhanced operational capacity would make the watchdog more effective in tackling police misconduct, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, and excessive use of force.
The MPs further cautioned that over-reliance on donor funding could compromise IPOA’s independence, making financial autonomy critical.
The recommendations build on IPOA’s engagements with South Africa’s Independent Police Investigative Directorate and the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum, aimed at fostering regional collaboration and sharing best practices.
The push comes amid renewed public concern over rising cases of police brutality and deaths in custody, with legislators warning that only a stronger, well-resourced IPOA can restore public trust in the country’s law enforcement system.
