Kenyan police force could be split into four units – Good for the local man and woman security wise.

By FRED MUKINDA

The police force could be split into four independent units if the proposals given to the team collecting Kenyans’ views on police reforms are adopted.

Those who gave their contributions to the National Task Force on Police Reforms chaired by retired judge Philip Ransley emphasised the need for an Administration Police unit independent from the regular force.

Other proposals put forward were the establishment of the National Criminal Investigations Bureau and Metropolitan Police. Justice Ransley told the Sunday Nation that he had observed a general liking for APs among the majority of Kenyans.

While he declined to say what the task force would recommend about the clamour for autonomy by the AP unit, Justice Ransley said people who attended their sittings recognised the APs.

“The perception was good. Those who had the chance to contribute were very serious on the issues they raised.” During its sittings, the merger issue and the establishment of new commands drew the sharpest divisions from the participants.

Police commissioner Hussein Ali told the task force that the Administration Police should be merged with the regular force under his command. He also expressed the desire to continue controlling the semi-autonomous CID.

Speaking at the same forum a day later, AP commandant Kinuthia Mbugua said his unit should not only remain autonomous but be strengthened as well.

Those who spoke in Eldoret during its sitting on June 21 were unanimous on the need for the autonomy of the AP. The North Rift residents recommended that APs be put in charge of security in rural areas, while the regular police serve urban areas.

But in Nairobi the Orange Democratic Movement and the Central Organisation of Trade Unions were pro-merger. Attorney-General Amos Wako recommended the formation of the National Criminal Investigations Bureau, headed by a director-general, to replace the Criminal Investigations Department.

ODM said the CID, which is currently under the police commissioner, had deteriorated as an investigative unit, and blamed Maj-Gen Ali for “militarising,” it.

Nairobi Central Business District Association wants the creation of a metropolitan police unit to take over the roles of city council askaris, as well as the railway, tourist and diplomatic police units.

Cotu secretary-general Francis Atwoli, who spoke at the last public sitting last week, supported the AP/regular police merger.

During the day’s sittings, former administrator Geoffrey Gachagua opposed the merger proposal saying while the Regular police respond after a crime has been committed, the AP usually prevent crime.

“The presence of APs at the grassroots is a deterrent to breaking of the law,” Mr Gachagua said. He proposed the separation of the roles of security agencies to have APs in the rural areas, an independent CID and regular police in the urban areas.

Mr Gachagua drew the team’s attention to the Bomas constitution draft which he said recognised the AP and the regular force as distinct organs with different mandates.

On June 19 while in Kakamega, the task force was told that police should leave the prosecution role to the AG’s office.

Mr Atwoli also called for re-establishment of the Special Branch within the police force. Special Branch was dissolved in 1997 to create a professional agency, the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS).

The police commissioner, in years-old proposals, has argued that the presence of multiple policing agencies is a key obstacle to internal accountability. In a document authored by senior officers, the regular police argue that the current forces have overlapping functions in practice, making it difficult for citizens to understand the chain of command.

But the AP have counteracted the arguments, warning that a unified police force would be prone to “complicity in crime, cover-up by officers, patronage and mischief”.

Healthy competition

A document presented by the AP said that “healthy competition” between the AP and Regular police would ensure citizens enjoy the best security services.

The Ransley team’s mandate comes to an end on Friday and they are expected to hand in their report to the President. Justice Ransley told the Sunday Nation that they would have an interim report by mid-August.

He however said they had requested for an extension of two to three months to conclude their business. The task force was gazetted in May, with a 90-day mandate to make recommendations aimed at uplifting the Kenyan police to world-class status.

Its work was cut out along reform proposals made by the Waki and Kriegler commissions and other previous reports.

source,nation.ke