State to respect Maraga reforms, says PS Omollo

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has said the government is committed to respecting recent court pronouncements on police reforms.

This is after the court declared the retired Chief Justice David Maraga-led task force unconstitutional.

Omollo said the police reforms recommended by the task force will continue in line with the rule of law while remaining focused on the realities and needs of the security landscape.

Omollo said about 50 per cent of the strategic reforms have been achieved.

These reforms include improved salaries, housing, medical and group life insurance, enhanced training and introduction of modern facilities and technology.

“We must equip, protect and dignify our officers because when we empower them, we empower the nation. And these reforms are just the beginning of a number of other opportunities that we are opening up to strengthen our security infrastructure and improve the lives of those who serve,” he said.

Omollo spoke during the opening of Kasagam police station in Kisumu East constituency.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and his deputy Eliud Lagat accompanied him.

Omollo praised Kanja for his transformative leadership within the National Police Service, citing ongoing reforms and welfare-centered programmes.

“We are really proud of your leadership within the National Police Service. Under your guidance, transformative programmes are being rolled out. This means you not only care about the work police officers do but about their dignity and the environments they live and work in,” he said.

The PS recognised the support of Kisumu East MP Shakeel Shabbir for complementing national government efforts by facilitating the construction of a modern, fully furnished office block.

This infrastructure will significantly ease the work of officers at the station and improve service delivery to the people of Kasagam, Omollo said.

The High Court declared President William Ruto’s move to establish the national taskforce to review police welfare unconstitutional welfare unconstitutional. Justice Lawrence Mugambi ruled that the President violated the constitution and, therefore, the 23-member task force headed by former Chief Justice David Maraga is unconstitutional and any decision made by it is also unconstitutional, null and void.

“The President has no constitutional authority to assign a specific responsibility assigned to a commission that is not complementing but undermining the discharge of mandate of the independent commission,” Mugambi said.

The judge said the President overstepped his mandate, thus found it unconstitutional to the extent it stripped off the National Police Commission its powers as mandated by registration and the constitution.

Nakuru-based medic Dr Magare Gikenyi, who asked the court to declare the task force unconstitutional, filed the case.

Established in December last year, the team was headed by Maraga and deputised by Carole Kariuki.

Gikenyi also wanted operations of the task force and the Gazette notice that established it suspended.

“It is the NPSC that is supposed to establish the said task force and not the President. The President can establish any other task force but not the task force on independent commissions,” he argued.

He said the constitution does not envisage a situation where the President directs the working of an independent commission in this case, the NPSC.  

The National Taskforce on Improvement of Terms and Conditions of Service and other Reforms for Members of the National Police Service, National Youth Service and Kenya Prisons Service report was handed over in December 2023.

Last year in September, Ruto said the government would require Sh106 billion to implement the reforms within the NPS, Kenya Prisons Service and National Youth Service.