Dominic Wabala
4 November 2009
Nairobi — The Administration Police are set to take over cattle rustling and border security duties on recommendations of the National Task Force on Police Reforms.
The proposal is among 200 others made by the Justice Philip Ransley-led taskforce to reform the police.
The reforms are expected to cost the Kenyan taxpayer about Sh81.4 billion in a span of three years. Currently, regular police perform those duties. In a report handed over to President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Tuesday, the taskforce recommended that the Anti-Stock Theft Unit be moved from regular police to the AP.
"The taskforce therefore recommended the retention of the Anti-Stock Theft Unit but recommended that the unit be moved from the Kenya Police to the Administration Police. Taking into account that the Administration Police are paramilitary and more visible in the rural areas... this move to the Administration Police was thought to be appropriate."
This the price the Kenya Police will pay for what was noted as public allegations of links and collusion with organised criminal groups and drugs cartels and their use of excessive force.
The report says that Administration Police are supported and relied on more by Kenyans in the rural areas and small towns.
To avoid duplication of duties and rivalry between the regular police and the APs, the taskforce recommended the establishment of a new police structure to be named the National Policing Council to coordinate the two police services.
The policing council will among other things formulate and determine policy, review, rationalise and coordinate the budgeting of national policing plans.
The taskforce also criticised Kenya Police's centralised command structure that erodes the powers of provincial and district commanders and recommended the devolution of powers to lower levels to provide greater operational autonomy.
"Until now, the commissioner has been accountable to the President alone while the officers below him are accountable to the commissioner. This has made the police vulnerable to both political and hierarchical misuse," the report says.
The taskforce also recommends recognition of the private security industry as a key player and partner with clear and defined roles for private security guards.
The team recommended consideration of powers approximate to police powers for private security guards.
The Justice Ransley-led team also recommended the immediate setting up of stakeholders committees by the ministers for Internal Security and Defence to develop National Security Policy and required legislation to avoid a repeat of the 2007/2008 post-election violence in 2012.
The national security police and legislation should be based on a draft prepared earlier by the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS).
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