Inspector General Douglas Kanja at the NPL Academy on August 12, 2026/NPS
Inspector General of
Police Douglas Kanja has warned senior police commanders to
strengthen supervision and accountability within their formations,
saying officers involved in criminal activities will not be allowed
to damage the reputation of the National Police Service.
Kanja said cases of
police officers engaging in crime were a betrayal of the oath they
took to serve and protect Kenyans, while raising concerns over weak
supervision, particularly at lower levels of command.
“Issues of
officers engaging in crime is both a disgrace to the service and a
serious betrayal to the oath of office,” Kanja said.
He said the
emergence of such cases pointed to gaps in supervision and
accountability, urging senior commanders to take greater
responsibility for the conduct of officers under their command.
“The emergence of
these incidents portrays a disconnect on both supervision and
accountability, especially at the lower ranks,” he said.
Kanja directed
senior commanders to maintain close supervision of their junior
officers and identify those whose conduct was inconsistent with the
standards expected of members of the police service.
He said the service
would not allow the actions of a few officers to undermine the work
of thousands of others serving professionally across the country.
“We are not going
to allow a few officers to damage the image of thousands of
hardworking police officers who are ready to work and are
professionals in the discharge of their duties,” he said.
His remarks came in
the wake of investigations into the killing of former African
Institute of Mental and Brain Health director Dr Victoria Mutiso, in
which the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said three
police officers played a role.
The murder
investigation has renewed scrutiny of the conduct of police officers
and the effectiveness of internal supervision mechanisms.
Inspector General Dpuglas Kanja is received by GSU commandant Johana Tonui at NPL Academy on August 12, 2026/NPS
Kanja said
commanders whose formations continued to post poor results in command
and control would face consequences, including removal from their
command responsibilities.
“We shall ensure
that commanders posting poor results in terms of commanding controls
are relieved of their duties, command responsibilities and dealt with
procedurally,” he said.
“Let this message
reach all commanders,” Kanja added, urging them to “pull up their
socks”.
The IG also raised
concern over what he termed inaction or delays in responding to
reports made by members of the public, particularly cases involving
land disputes, domestic violence and threats to life.
He said some
incidents that later escalated into serious crimes could have been
prevented had police acted promptly on earlier reports.
“It is therefore
saddening to see that some of the situations we find ourselves in
could have been averted through diligent and responsible policing,”
he said.
Kanja reminded
officers that they were free to consult other commanders and relevant
offices whenever they encountered challenges in handling cases.
“You are at
liberty to consult horizontally and vertically if need be,” he
said.
Inspector General Douglas Kanja (left) with other senior officers during an event at the NPL Academy on August 12, 2026/NPS
He said effective
policing required commanders to take ownership of complaints reported
within their areas and ensure that officers responded professionally
and within the law.
Kanja further called
on senior officers to support police training institutions as they
prepare recruits and officers for upcoming pass-out parades.
He said training
remained critical in preparing officers to meet the changing demands
of policing and uphold professionalism.
Kanja spoke on
Wednesday during a sensitisation forum on the New Service Standing
Orders and Police Reforms at the National Police Leadership Academy
(NPLA) in Ngong, where he challenged commanders to strengthen
leadership, discipline and accountability throughout the service.