When a robbery, carjacking,
homicide, murder, rape and many other criminal activities take place we all are
quick to blame the police for incompetence and inefficiency. We blame them for
contributing to road carnage, perpetuating corruption among other vices. Few of
us take time to analyze the conditions under which these officers work as they
endeavour to maintain law and order in our country.
While we are busy condemning the police, they have to brave the rainy and muddy conditions not forgetting the blazing heat in Mombasa and other locations to restore sanity on our roads, to pursue and smoke out robbers and carjackers to their hideout. This police officer who has to spend the entire day out in the sunny and hot conditions cannot afford even a half litre bottle of water to quench his thirst or to wash off dust from his throat. On the other side of country in areas like Nairobi, Limuru, Naivasha, and Meru among others, the officers stationed here spend the better part of the day chasing criminals and controlling errant motorists out in the rain. How many of us offer a bottle of water to the dehydrated officer or an umbrella to the drenching traffic cop?
When this officer leaves work at the end of his/her shift, the conditions are no better at the police quarters. In certain locations officers live in mud houses, mabati shacks and other semi-permanent structures. After a long day at work, the police officer retires to a house where his/her family members cannot fit in one room at the same time due to the size of the rooms. During the rainy season, the officer may as well opt to spend the night out working because with leaking roofs the conditions in the house are not a tad different from the conditions outside. In some remote areas the officers families have to share utilities. The walls between adjacent rooms are so thin such that when a neighboring officer is 'getting it on' you can hardly get any sleep. I bet some officers have more often than not had to pay for a room for the night just to have some 'good time' with their partners since privacy is compromised at their staff quarters.
Many officers have resorted to bribery and other criminal activities as a way of supplementing their income. Let it be very clear that I do not approve of bribery or corruption of any form. I believe that many of the serving police officers are committed to their duty of Utumishi kwa Wote. I also believe that due to the nature and risks involved in maintaining internal security, our police deserve to be paid a commensurate salary. Our legislators have so often seen it wise to increase their perks at a whim yet deserving civil servants like the police receive peanuts. Upon being sworn in, our MPigs are given interest free loans for purchase of palatial homes and fuel guzzlers. Don’t our police deserve such treatment too? Besides from maintaining law and order in the country our police also offer security to banks, cash-in-transit, and protection of VIP’s not to mention guarding the palatial homes of these MPigs. What motivation do we give them for these services? How do we intend to achieve our vision of becoming a middle class economy if enhanced security is not at the cornerstone of this vision. Enhanced security will not be brought about by technologically advanced weaponry and/training. The main ingredient to achieving internal security is a dedicated, motivated and committed security force. I however don’t see how we will achieve such dedication, motivation and commitment when our officers sleep in shacks, when they have to hitch a ride from motorists to their work stations, or when they face-off with cattle rustlers who have superior weaponry and better knowledge of the terrain.
Our police deserve better terms of service, they need assurances that their families will be taken care of if and when they meet their maker in the line of duty. These are our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters and they too deserve a better life. Let us appreciate the work they do and the conditions under which they do it. As for the police officers, I know that this is a heavy duty you have committed yourselves to undertake, please perform it to the best of your abilities. Restrain yourselves from taking bribes, enforce the law in the fairest way possible, exercise restraint when dealing with riotous crowds and above all respect life. As we approach the elections be our peace ambassadors. Let me conclude by paying respect to all officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
God Bless Kenya Police!
I salute you all.
While we are busy condemning the police, they have to brave the rainy and muddy conditions not forgetting the blazing heat in Mombasa and other locations to restore sanity on our roads, to pursue and smoke out robbers and carjackers to their hideout. This police officer who has to spend the entire day out in the sunny and hot conditions cannot afford even a half litre bottle of water to quench his thirst or to wash off dust from his throat. On the other side of country in areas like Nairobi, Limuru, Naivasha, and Meru among others, the officers stationed here spend the better part of the day chasing criminals and controlling errant motorists out in the rain. How many of us offer a bottle of water to the dehydrated officer or an umbrella to the drenching traffic cop?
When this officer leaves work at the end of his/her shift, the conditions are no better at the police quarters. In certain locations officers live in mud houses, mabati shacks and other semi-permanent structures. After a long day at work, the police officer retires to a house where his/her family members cannot fit in one room at the same time due to the size of the rooms. During the rainy season, the officer may as well opt to spend the night out working because with leaking roofs the conditions in the house are not a tad different from the conditions outside. In some remote areas the officers families have to share utilities. The walls between adjacent rooms are so thin such that when a neighboring officer is 'getting it on' you can hardly get any sleep. I bet some officers have more often than not had to pay for a room for the night just to have some 'good time' with their partners since privacy is compromised at their staff quarters.
Many officers have resorted to bribery and other criminal activities as a way of supplementing their income. Let it be very clear that I do not approve of bribery or corruption of any form. I believe that many of the serving police officers are committed to their duty of Utumishi kwa Wote. I also believe that due to the nature and risks involved in maintaining internal security, our police deserve to be paid a commensurate salary. Our legislators have so often seen it wise to increase their perks at a whim yet deserving civil servants like the police receive peanuts. Upon being sworn in, our MPigs are given interest free loans for purchase of palatial homes and fuel guzzlers. Don’t our police deserve such treatment too? Besides from maintaining law and order in the country our police also offer security to banks, cash-in-transit, and protection of VIP’s not to mention guarding the palatial homes of these MPigs. What motivation do we give them for these services? How do we intend to achieve our vision of becoming a middle class economy if enhanced security is not at the cornerstone of this vision. Enhanced security will not be brought about by technologically advanced weaponry and/training. The main ingredient to achieving internal security is a dedicated, motivated and committed security force. I however don’t see how we will achieve such dedication, motivation and commitment when our officers sleep in shacks, when they have to hitch a ride from motorists to their work stations, or when they face-off with cattle rustlers who have superior weaponry and better knowledge of the terrain.
Our police deserve better terms of service, they need assurances that their families will be taken care of if and when they meet their maker in the line of duty. These are our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters and they too deserve a better life. Let us appreciate the work they do and the conditions under which they do it. As for the police officers, I know that this is a heavy duty you have committed yourselves to undertake, please perform it to the best of your abilities. Restrain yourselves from taking bribes, enforce the law in the fairest way possible, exercise restraint when dealing with riotous crowds and above all respect life. As we approach the elections be our peace ambassadors. Let me conclude by paying respect to all officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
God Bless Kenya Police!
I salute you all.
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