The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has reiterated its commitment to supporting the National Police Service (NPS) in implementing the recommendations of the Maraga Taskforce on Police, Prisons, and National Youth Service Reforms. During a meeting with Inspector General Douglas Kanja, UNDP Governance Advisor Anki Dellnas, accompanied by Senior Advisor Leanne MacKay and consultant Dan Juma, discussed strategies for moving forward with these reforms.
Kanja emphasized the importance of modernizing police training to align with contemporary policing needs, stating, “Training our officers to meet the demands of modern-day policing is a priority that requires more attention.” He added that he is focused on transforming police stations into centers of excellence, where public service delivery is standardized and police services are fully digitized. “With the growing digital world, we need to keep pace with the changes, and this demands significant resources,” Kanja noted.
The UNDP representatives pledged their support in helping the NPS implement the task force’s recommendations. The task force was specifically mandated to identify obstacles to effective service delivery within the NPS and KPS and produce a report that would serve as a blueprint for reform implementation.
The task force’s main focus is improving the terms and conditions of service for members of the police and prisons, along with other necessary reforms. Last month, President William Ruto revealed that Sh106 billion would be needed to fully implement the reforms across the NPS, KPS, and NYS. Speaking at the launch of the Strategic Framework for Implementing Reforms in these services, Ruto emphasized that the framework provides an integrated approach to transforming key priorities in a strategic and coordinated manner.
The National Taskforce on the Improvement of Terms and Conditions of Service for the NPS, KPS, and NYS was established by Ruto on December 21, 2022. Additionally, a National Steering Committee, chaired by Internal Security and National Administration PS Raymond Omollo, was gazetted on September 13, 2024. Its primary role is to develop an implementation framework to guide the reform process.
Ruto stated that the Sh106 billion would address critical challenges facing the services, including career progression, digitization of records—such as police occurrence books—and the acquisition of new equipment.
Out of the Sh106 billion required to implement the reforms, President William Ruto detailed that Sh22 billion will be allocated to improving the compensation package for officers, Sh37 billion will be used to upgrade hardware and welfare reforms, and Sh45 billion will go towards modernizing the services. He mentioned that while part of the funding will come from the National Treasury, the rest will be sourced from investors.
“We recognize the significant financial implications of fully implementing the changes recommended by the Maraga Taskforce. The estimated cost to actualize these reforms is Sh106 billion,” Ruto said.
The President also revealed that the government had procured 1,000 electric vehicles for the police to improve e-mobility across the country. Additionally, he announced plans to construct 32,000 houses for security officers, addressing the often deplorable living conditions faced by some law enforcement personnel.
“Some of our officers live in housing conditions that resemble prisons. That cannot be allowed to continue. This is why we expanded the housing program to include institutional homes for our military, police, NYS, and prisons,” Ruto emphasized.
He added that ministries and agencies would oversee the implementation of these reforms, in coordination with the National Steering Committee recently appointed by Interior CS Kithure Kindiki. Ruto stressed the need for any challenges encountered to be addressed swiftly by the committee, with public participation playing a critical role in shaping policies and any Constitutional changes.
“The three services, along with KPS and NYS, will be required to complete their modernization strategies and plans within three months. The Treasury must ensure that funding is provided to implement these reforms,” the President stated.
A national inter-agency team has been formed to guide and initiate the implementation process.
