Murkomen pledges citizen-centred reforms in police service

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to people-centred police reforms, pledging to strengthen public trust, transparency, and accountability in law enforcement.

Speaking during the launch of the upgraded Fichua Kwa DCI Centre in Nairobi, CS Murkomen stated that the government is working to transform the National Police Service into a more responsive, citizen-focused institution. The enhanced Centre, developed through Kenya–UK security cooperation, now features a WhatsApp reporting line and an advanced recovery server to support confidential crime reporting by the public.

“The launch today of the upgraded Fichua Kwa DCI Centre is an important step in our continuous improvement of the effectiveness of our National Police Service,” said Murkomen.

He noted that the Fichua Kwa DCI platform enables Kenyans to report crime in confidence, and has already “helped resolve serious and complex cases involving murder, human trafficking, narcotics smuggling, and terrorism.”

He disclosed that the reforms are aimed at restoring public confidence in law enforcement and fostering closer collaboration between citizens and the police.

“Our responsibility here through police reforms is to create a service that Kenyans can trust, the National Police Service and trust the DCI, so that when they know that when I tell DCI that I have a problem, my message is going to be treated anonymously, but also I will be protected, I am safer,” the CS stated.

Murkomen dismissed claims that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) operates in secrecy, stressing that officers serve transparently and are publicly known.

“These officers have been introduced openly, we know their names, we know what they do. This is an institution that is of the people, it’s not for us,” he said

The Cabinet Secretary reiterated that Kenya’s Constitution demands a transparent, accountable National Police Service that operates as a service, not a force. He acknowledged the lingering mistrust between citizens and the police, citing past incidents on both sides that have contributed to a perception gap.

“Police service relationship with the citizens is a work in progress but we want to accelerate that work so that it can become even closer. I have told the IG and we will be sharing even further policy directives that we must create a friendly environment between us and the citizens and the constitution itself projects a progressive movement towards making the police service more accountable and closer to the people,” he said

Murkomen added that the government is giving focus to both citizen empowerment and the training of officers, noting that equipping police with skills and professionalism is critical for efficient service delivery.

“Besides empowering citizens to play an active role in enhancing safety within their neighbourhoods and beyond, we are also prioritizing the training of our officers, which is key in building an efficient Police Service,” he said

The event was attended by British High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli, and Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin.