The National Police Service (NPS) has announced a comprehensive set of internal anti-corruption measures aimed at curbing graft and restoring public trust in law enforcement. The move follows mounting public pressure and findings from recent surveys that consistently rank the police among Kenya’s most corrupt institutions.
In a statement released on Friday, Inspector General Douglas Kanja confirmed that the NPS has established Internal Accountability Mechanisms, including the Quality Assurance Directorates and the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), to monitor compliance and investigate misconduct. This is part of a broader strategy to foster transparency, professionalism, and accountability within the service.
“The Service has adopted a multipronged approach to improve efficiency in preventing and combating corruption,” the statement read. “This includes swift, firm, and fair handling of complaints, particularly those involving police officers implicated in bribery.”
To strengthen these reforms, the NPS is harnessing technology by digitising public-facing services such as fine processing and cash bail payments an effort aimed at reducing direct interactions that often lead to bribery. In addition, the service has introduced several corruption-reporting tools, including toll-free hotlines (112, 999, 911), the IAU’s Anonymous Reporting System (ARIS), and the #FichuaKwaDCI tip line (0800 722 203).
Crucially, commanders within the NPS will be held personally accountable for ensuring integrity within their jurisdictions. “They shall bear direct responsibility for any conduct that compromises professionalism and erodes public trust,” the IG warned.
The reforms were unveiled during the launch of a joint systems review between the NPS and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). EACC chairperson David Oginde described the initiative as a proactive step to address systemic corruption. The commission’s 2023 National Ethics and Corruption Survey revealed that 20.7% of all bribes in Kenya were paid to the police, with some individuals forking out up to Sh20,000 for services like police abstracts and protection.
The NPS’s ongoing partnership with the EACC aims to overhaul police systems, policies, and procedures to eliminate corruption loopholes and rebuild citizen confidence in law enforcement.
