Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has expressed concern over the High Court’s decision to disband the Police Reforms Taskforce, warning that the ruling could derail crucial efforts to improve the welfare of officers across the country.
The court, in a verdict delivered by Justice Lawrence Mugambi, ruled that the 23-member taskforce appointed by the President was unconstitutional, as it bypassed the mandate of the National Police Service Commission (NPSC). As a result, any decisions or actions made by the taskforce were also declared invalid.
CS Murkomen, however, maintains that the taskforce, chaired by former Chief Justice David Maraga, was a direct response to the urgent needs of police officers nationwide.
“Courts should be considerate about the welfare of police officers,” said the CS, pointing out that the issues being tackled by the team were not abstract but deeply rooted in the lived experiences of law enforcement officers.
During a recent Jukwaa la Usalama tour across six counties, including Taita Taveta, Murkomen noted that recurring complaints from officers centered on housing, mobility, promotions, transfers, and remuneration.
“It’s unbelievable that a judge assigned officers with similar issues being shared across the country would declare a taskforce looking into the officers’ welfare unconstitutional,” he added while addressing residents in Mwatate.
Since assuming office, the CS has championed wide-ranging reforms in the National Police Service, including better housing, modern equipment, adoption of new technologies, and comprehensive human resource changes.
He warned that the court ruling threatens to stall this progress and could demoralize officers who had placed hope in the taskforce’s recommendations.
“The ruling is not just a legal setbackit’s a blow to every officer who believed their concerns were finally being heard,” Murkomen said, urging stakeholders to refocus on the needs of those on the frontlines of national security.
