The Head of State has also pledged to ensure that progressive effort is made towards better remuneration and equipping of the units within the National Police Service/PPS
The President has warned both internal and external threats to national security that they will be dealt with resolutely, in a manner alike to how the Kenya Defence Forces dealt with Al Shabaab in Somalia.
He says that the government will also strive to bring down the proportion of the number of police as compared to citizens they serve.
“Our Government is committed to ensuring our citizens live; work and worship in peace. We have demonstrated to our citizens and to the world that we will deal decisively with any external threat to our citizens. Yet threats to internal security still remain. We will deal with those internal threats with the same single-minded resolve; the same commitment to protecting our citizens,” Kenyatta said.
“My Government will improve security at our frontiers and progressively improve the ratio of police to citizens across Kenya by bringing it closer to the UN ration of one police officer for every 450 citizens,” Kenyatta added during the state opening of the Eleventh Parliament on Tuesday.
The Head of State has also pledged to ensure that progressive effort is made towards better remuneration and equipping of the units within the National Police Service.
“This Parliament must progressively put in place measures that will strengthen our police service. We must afford them the dignity that is due to any citizen who risks their life in service to the people and the nation – protecting our lives and our property.”
“We will properly equip each police unit in order to increase effectiveness and ensure their rapid response to incidents of crime. This will also include working to ensure that their welfare is protected,” he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, The National Police Service said that it needed about Sh150 billion from the Treasury to enable it perform its functions effectively.
Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo said that the money will be spent within the next three years in purchasing vehicles for police officers and pay their salaries.
The Inspector General was speaking during the launch of the Nairobi region annual crime observatory report lamented that the police service is understaffed and that it needed to employ more police officers to increase their presence in all parts of the country.
“We are asking for adequate budgetary allocations, therefore we require a colossal amount but this is just to start the reform. When we have adequate resources for instance motor vehicles, they can take us for a while,” he insisted.
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