President William Ruto/ SCREENGRABPresident William Ruto has challenged police officers to rethink how success in law enforcement is measured, saying modern policing should focus on preventing crime and protecting lives rather than simply increasing arrests.
Ruto said effective policing should strengthen public confidence and create an environment where citizens feel safe while respecting constitutional rights and freedoms.
Speaking on Friday during the passing-out parade of police recruits at the National Police College in Kiganjo, Nyeri county, Ruto said the police have a responsibility to protect both security and democratic participation.
The ceremony marked the recruits' transition from training to service in the National Police Service.
"Modern policing cannot be measured only by the number of suspects arrested. It must also be measured by the crimes prevented, the lives protected, the confidence created and the safety citizens experience," Ruto said.
He urged the new officers to uphold the Constitution as they exercise their authority, particularly when dealing with citizens exercising their rights to assemble, demonstrate, picket and petition public authorities.
"Article 37 of our Constitution protects the right of every person, peacefully and unarmed, to assemble, demonstrate, picket and present petitions to public authorities. That right must be respected and protected," he said.
Ruto, however, said the constitutional protection did not extend to criminal acts, including arson, looting, assault, intimidation and destruction of public or private property.
"The responsibility of the police is to distinguish between peaceful democratic participation and criminal conduct," he said.
He cautioned officers against criminalising legitimate dissent while also warning against excusing violence committed under the cover of political activity.
"You must neither criminalise legitimate dissent nor excuse violence committed under the cover of politics. We must secure the election without compromising the democracy we are securing," Ruto said.
The President also urged the police to remain neutral during political competition, saying elections should be decided through ideas, policies and leadership rather than intimidation or ethnic mobilisation.
"Political competition must be a contest of ideas, policies and leadership, not a contest of hired guns, intimidation or ethnic mobilisation," he said.
Ruto said the people should be allowed to freely and peacefully determine who leads them.
"The people must decide freely and peacefully who will lead them," he said.
