Recent incidents of police officers being killed by other police officers in Kenya highlight the consequences of rampant corruption in the force. It starts with venues such as casinos and nightclubs which pay regular bribes and tips to officers on duty. The lucrative nature of such assignments becomes known, and senior officers demand a share in exchange for posting officers to those assignments.
The corruption spreads further. Senior officers demand payments in exchange for training and promotion opportunities. Officers in charge of uniforms demand payments for handing over items of clothing. Female officers are asked to give favours in exchange for promotion. When an officer is sent to a remote location, senior police pocket the allowances that were supposed to pay for the officer’s travel and accommodation. Those who complain are subjected to disciplinary proceedings.
Now the Police Commissioner has created a task force to look into the “high stress levels” which are causing junior police officers to shoot their bosses and members of the public. However, how can such a task force come up with acceptable solutions when the members of the task force are allegedly implicated in the corrupt system which causes the “high stress levels”?