The IG, speaking during the Anti-Corruption and Accountability Summit at State House on Tuesday said corruption is two-way, where both the giver and the receiver must be dealt with/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 – Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet says corruption within the police service can only be eliminated if members of the public stop bribing his officers.
The IG, speaking during the Anti-Corruption and Accountability Summit at State House on Tuesday said corruption is two-way, where both the giver and the receiver must be dealt with.
“The war on graft must be holistic,” the police boss said.
“I am not defending the few of my officers who are corrupt. It’s two-way, it’s both the driver and the corrupt officer. On our part, we have a number of officers arrested either by us or by our counterparts at the EACC, but quite often than not, unfortunately, it is the officers who face the wrath than the corrupt citizen.”
According to the National Police Service Commission, only four out of a 100 officers are corrupt, statistics that were questioned by several stakeholders at the summit.
The service has about 90,000 officers meaning the number of rogue officers is quite high going with his statistics.
“As an institution, it will be wrong for us to be identified as absolutely corrupt,” he said. “In the police service, the law allows us to remove the rogue officers.”
He said about 300 officers are currently facing corruption related charges in court.
The traffic department within the police service is largely perceived to be the most corrupt.
Independent Policing Oversight Authority Chairperson Macharia Njeru on his part says the IG has not done enough to tame or remove the rogue officers from the service while saying that in some instances, the IG has failed to act against some officers, despite the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions .
“It is painful when I hear the IG defending his men and women…the only way we can hold police to account is by being serious,” he said.
IPOA has been complaining of lack of cooperation from the police more so while it comes to arresting an officer or accessing documents.
It was a day where institutions engaged in a blame-game but President Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged them to fight the menace since they already have enough resources and Kenyans goodwill.
“The rule of law means that those who are accused will get justice and those who are guilty will pay the price,” the President said.
“All those offices that have been created by the constitution should play their job. The only question should be on whether I have given enough resources to do your job. Let not use corruption for politics . We want to deal with corruption because it hurts the Kenyan people, it hurts the Kenyan economy. Let people do their job.”
The President, while pointing out the constitutional constrains complained that despite the formation of a multi-agency team to fight corruption, nothing seems to be done.
“We set a multi agency team so that we can coordinate our affairs, still no movement,” President Kenyatta lamented.
I have taken the actions that I can within the constitution…respecting the constitution. I have even no role in appointing a Chief Justice. They have given me one name and my only role is to sign, ladies and gentlemen, what do you want me to do?”
We have the Auditor General who keeps saying money was stolen from Eurobond, what has stopped you from saying who stole it. I didn’t appoint you and I cannot sack you. What is your problem? A lot of nonsense to tell you the truth.
What have you been denied? This is a political circus. Corruption is being used as a political circus. How many cases are before the courts of law? Do you expect me to set up a firing squad at Uhuru Park so that people can be happy?”
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