Police decry tribalism in promotions, deployments
They argue that merit is no longer a key consideration.
2mon agoELIUD KIBIICorridors-of-power
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced a raft of reforms aimed at uplifting the morale of police officers, including automatic merit-based promotions for thousands of officers who have stagnated in rank for years.
In what he termed a morale-boosting measure, Murkomen directed that all police constables aged 50 and above be promoted automatically on merit, without having to wait until they reach 53 years, as has been the norm.
“All the constables who are above 50 years will be promoted on merit automatically,” said Murkomen. “Wasonge kwa merit,” he said.
He also ordered that all corporals and sergeants who have served in the same rank for over 15 years be considered for promotion, again based on merit.
Similarly, inspectors who have stagnated in their rank for more than a decade will also be moved up.
The CS stressed that promotions will no longer depend solely on interviews.
Instead, officers will now bypass the traditional interview process and proceed directly to training, which will be mandatory.
“I like the proposal said here — you will all be promoted on merit, lakini muende course ndiyo mupate capacity,” he said during the Jukwaa la Usalama meeting in Kericho.
“We will ensure that all of them are trained after promotion.”
Murkomen lamented the lack of a dedicated training budget in the police service and pledged to reverse that.
He announced that a new training framework will be rolled out, starting with Officers Commanding Stations (OCSs) and service commanders of specialised units.
“If there’s one public service department without a budget for training, it’s the police. We’ve said that must change,” he said.
The announcement is now expected to affect hundreds of officers who have remained in the same rank for years.
It is part of broader police reforms to improve efficiency, professionalism, and job satisfaction within the service.
