Securing the polls: the task ahead for the Kenyan police

Kenya’s general elections on 4 March present the police service with an unrivalled opportunity to support the democratic process and reverse the legacy of mistrust that has characterised relations between police and communities in Kenya for so long. The police leadership must move quickly on that opportunity, by delivering on their responsibility to ensure the security of communities and showcasing commitments to accountable, independent service delivery.

On 4 March, Kenya’s National Police Service and its new leadership will face their biggest test since the post-election violence that hit Kenya in the wake of 2007’s national polls. This violence left 1,100 dead and was accompanied by widespread allegations of police misconduct. Important legal and institutional reforms have taken place since then to strengthen police command, improve professionalism and establish accountability bodies with mandates to monitor and investigate abuses. But there are several tasks outstanding.

“As Kenya’s elections draw nearer, there are still urgent measures the police leadership need to take to ensure officers are ready and able to respond to emerging electoral tensions”, says Usalama Forum Coordinator Philip Ochieng. “A last minute preparedness push will be essential if the police are to fulfil their role supporting a peaceful national poll.” 

On 14 February, the National Security Advisory Committee approved an election security plan that provides for the deployment of officers to each of Kenya’s 33,000 polling stations, formation of special standby units to respond to identified violence hotspots and provision of convoys for political candidates and ballot papers in transit. Some 290 police officers have been tasked with monitoring hate speech and ethnic incitement and an additional 7,000 recently recruited officers are receiving final pre-poll training. The timeframe for completing training on new electoral laws and human rights standards is tight and logistical challenges abound.

Although announcements on election preparedness are welcome, the police leadership must go one step further to engage and relay broad election security planning to communities, particularly in areas where pre-poll disputes have already turned violent.

“There needs to be a concerted effort, led by the Inspector General and County Commanders, to ensure the security of residents in high-risk areas will be prioritised on election day and after”, urges Saferworld’s Kenya Arms Control and Policing Manager James Ndung’u.

“Senior officers must ensure a visible police presence in the run up to the vote and consult with communities on priority locations for patrolling. Violent crime, including in urban and rural areas, must also not be allowed to fall off the agenda during the electoral period.”

New accountability bodies created by Kenya’s 2010 constitution and subsequent laws have created a framework for reversing the culture of impunity that underpinned past police abuses. However, some reforms have yet to have a real impact on the ground. It is imperative now that the institutions signal to the Kenyan population their willingness to implement their mandates robustly, follow up quickly on complaints and where appropriate see cases through to prosecution. Legal advice by the Attorney General clarifying the mandate and roles of the office of the Inspector General and police commission is welcome and will be critical to ensuring any tensions between them do not impede implementation of election security planning.

Adequate resourcing of Kenya’s National Police Service and oversight bodies remains a burning priority in the pre-poll period and afterwards. The treasury should move immediately to support budgetary requirements set out by the Inspector General to ensure the election security plan is operationalised and accountability institutions can deliver on their mandate.

In the longer term, without significantly reformed financial management processes many police stations will continue to lack the necessary resources and training needed to respond effectively to local security needs and participate in a genuinely national, capable policing service.

The Usalama Reform is a coalition of civil society organisations that work to monitor, analyse and push forward the police reform process in Kenya.

For further information please contact:

James Ndung'u, Kenya Arms Control and Policing Manager, Saferworld, +254 722309924

Philip Ochieng, Usalama Forum Coordinator, +254 718230471

“There needs to be a concerted effort, led by the Inspector General and County Commanders, to ensure the security of residents in high-risk areas will be prioritised on election day and after”

James Ndung'u