Lawmakers Push for Police Reforms, Back NPSC Nominees Amid Public Outcry
NAIROBI, Kenya – Members of Parliament are calling for swift approval of new National Police Service Commission (NPSC) nominees, hoping the appointments will jumpstart long-overdue reforms in a security sector under fire for misconduct, violence, and eroding public trust.
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma led the appeal during a parliamentary session Tuesday, saying the country faces a critical moment where civil liberties are increasingly threatened by unchecked police power.
“We face a pressing challenge one that demands deep reflection on how we can uphold our fundamental freedoms while recognizing that these freedoms have reasonable limits,” Kaluma told lawmakers. “Officers who act outside the law must be held to account.”
Kaluma urged his colleagues to support the nominees, stating the new commission must prioritize accountability while restoring professionalism within the force.
Crisis in Police-Public Relations
Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo described the current relationship between police officers and citizens as “perhaps at its lowest point.” He blamed institutional failings for the deepening divide, pointing to poor pay, insufficient resources, and inadequate mental health support.
“Even in 2025, officers still lack transport,” Oundo said. “And when vehicles are available, stations often don’t have fuel.”
He warned that these conditions, left unaddressed, have not only crippled service delivery but also contributed to rising frustration and psychological strain among officers.
“It is completely unacceptable for any officer to brutalize another human being,” he added. “This Parliament must support reforms that shift the police from being seen as a brutal force to one that serves the people.”
Fresh Faces, New Mandate
Kajiado North MP Onesmus Ngogoyo echoed the need for urgent change, stating the commission needs individuals who can break away from past failures.
“We need new minds and new ideas people who won’t simply replicate the actions of their predecessors,” he said.
Ngogoyo cited the recent killing of an unarmed street hawker by police in Nairobi as a tragic example of how excessive force continues to damage public trust. The man reportedly neither resisted arrest nor attempted to flee.
“That young man didn’t deserve to die,” Ngogoyo said. “It’s deeply troubling that someone so defenseless was met with such excessive force.”
He also criticized the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition, accusing the administration of abandoning promises to improve police welfare.
“We made solemn pledges to our security officers,” Ngogoyo said. “But many of those promises remain unfulfilled.”
The Road Ahead
As debate over police conduct intensifies across Kenya, Parliament’s focus on reform is gaining momentum. The approval of new NPSC commissioners is seen as a key step toward restoring public confidence and building a police service that enforces the law without violating rights.
If the nominees are confirmed, they will inherit a mandate weighted with expectation ensuring that accountability is no longer an exception, but the standard.
