NAIROBI, Kenya — The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has issued a damning audit of the National Police Service (NPS), recommending the disbandment of the current traffic unit after uncovering entrenched extortion, bribery, and command-level involvement in illegal collections.
Presenting the findings at the National Police Leadership Academy in Ngong, EACC Director of Preventive Services Vincent Okongo said the audit—conducted between February and June 2025—revealed that corruption within the traffic department is “deep-rooted, systematic and fuelled by a well-established chain of command.”
“They expose all PSVs to routine daily extortion,” Okongo said, noting that matatu SACCOs, boda boda riders, and long-distance operators were forced to pay protection fees at multiple points.
“There were also allegations of targets given to these officers by their seniors. If an operator does not give, they fabricate charges.”
The report paints a picture of a traffic department functioning as a parallel revenue system, where illegal proceeds are routinely sent upwards, institutionalising bribery within the service. Some officers were found to be conducting arbitrary arrests, manipulating traffic offences, and carrying out enforcement operations without proper documentation.
EACC Secretary and CEO Abdi Mohamud described the audit as a bold but necessary step to restore public trust. “This was not a fault-finding exercise, but one geared towards strengthening governance systems and making them more resilient to corruption vulnerabilities,” he said.
Mohamud commended Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and his deputies for opening the service to scrutiny, urging them to act swiftly on the recommendations.
The audit extended beyond the traffic department, identifying irregularities in recruitment, transfers, and disciplinary processes; inconsistent cash bail management; politically influenced postings; poor sanitation for detainees; and weak oversight mechanisms.
It further noted delays in implementing legally required structures such as a Service Examination Board and Complaints Management Policy.
To address these vulnerabilities, the EACC has recommended a far-reaching overhaul of the NPS. At the centre of the proposals is the disbandment of the traffic unit and the integration of traffic duties into general policing, supported by mandatory training for all officers.
The Commission also urged the rotation of officers, the automation of cash bail and recruitment systems, the adoption of body-worn cameras, routine integrity audits, and the establishment of a corruption-prevention framework.
“Let this report not gather dust on shelves,” EACC Chairperson David Oginde said. “Let it mark a renewed commitment by leadership, officers, and citizens to rebuild this vital institution.”
Inspector General Kanja said the NPS will act decisively on the findings. “We have received the report that we had requested EACC to investigate in February. We are going to form the necessary committees, and whoever will be found culpable will face the law,” Kanja said.
EACC has now given the police boss 30 days to develop an implementation matrix outlining how the recommendations will be enforced, with the Commission expected to monitor progress periodically.
The audit comes against a backdrop of persistent public complaints about police extortion, especially in the traffic sector. Multiple governance reports over the years have listed the traffic department among the most bribery-prone units in the public service.
If implemented fully, the latest recommendations could trigger one of the most significant policing reforms in recent years. But as EACC officials cautioned, the true test will be whether the leadership has the political and institutional will to dismantle long-standing networks of corruption and rebuild public confidence in the police.
