Police officers during the past protests/FILE


The Kenya Police Service should be overhauled because past reforms have failed to end brutality and restore public trust, a civil society group has said.

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Naomi Barasa, founder of She Main Table, said the current police system should be dismantled and replaced with a service that protects life, respects citizens, and is accountable.

“I will disband the police force and bring communities into public participation to explore security systems that are pro-life and pro-people,” she said.

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Barasa criticised the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, calling it ineffective. She called for an accountability mechanism that tracks every bullet fired and punishes misconduct.

She said low police morale, poor pay, and harsh working conditions are some of the factors contributing to the systemic abuse.

Hussein Khalid, CEO of Vocal Africa, said piecemeal reforms — such as uniform changes — are insufficient for a collapsed system.

Key reforms recommended by the Maraga Task Force, including digitised operations and officer welfare improvements, have largely failed to deliver results.

The call comes amid growing concern over police killings and brutality.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission has documented at least seven police killings since January, including victims such as 14-year-old Dennis Ringa (Mombasa) and Sharon Adhiambo, a first-year KMTC student killed in Huruma, Nairobi.

KHRC has given the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions seven days to act or face private prosecutions.

The commission has also called for the resignation of Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, citing failure to stop systemic abuse.

IPOA chief executive Elema Halake acknowledged delays but noted the complexity of investigations requiring forensic analysis, witness interviews, and adherence to legal standards before cases reach court.

The civil society emphasised structural reform in the police service to strengthen accountability, and citizen-led security oversight, saying they were urgent imperatives to ending police brutality and restore public trust.

 INSTANT ANALYSIS

The growing calls for a complete overhaul of the Kenyan police reflect deep systemic failures in accountability, training, and culture. Despite past reforms, incidents of brutality, extrajudicial killings, and slow investigations have eroded public trust, leaving citizens vulnerable and disillusioned.

Civil society, led by figures like Naomi Barasa and Hussein Khalid, argues that piecemeal changes cannot fix a collapsed system, calling for a citizen-centered, pro-life police service with strong oversight mechanisms. The repeated documentation of killings by the Kenya Human Rights Commission underscores the urgency. Without structural reform and political will, both police morale and public confidence will remain at risk.