Corruption rate in Kenya police institution

 

Image: corruption.  Source: Pixabay.com

Corruption is an act of giving or obtaining something for the return of favors. The favors can be in the form of jobs, money or even other assets.

Kenya police is an institution that is mandated to enforce law by the constitution. Despite having power to discretion, this institution has failed to curb the corruption menace. The vice trickles down from the top police officers up to the constables. Corruption involves bribery in most cases. For instance, the traffic police are notorious in collecting bribes at the road side with a firm face. Through my daily observation, I realised that these traffic officers are usually sent by their seniors with a stipulated target of the day. In a normal vehicle, they collect ksh 100 per vehicle. That's why they wakes early to achieve the target by evening hours. However, the process is not easy as most of the time the officers struggle to achieve the target. 

When the target is not achieved at the end of the day, the officers are forced to acquire loans. These seniors are brutal to their juniors. The fear is always the limiting factor. These junior officers are afraid to be transferred to semi arid areas like Mandera, wajir or even Garissa. 

The most coveted police stations are within the Nairobi city. The "Seniors" always bribe their "super seniors" to be transferred to those stations as they can reap more. Whenever you fail to adhere to the culture of giving, then you're demoted.

The biggest issue in the police institution is brought by low salaries by get. Most of the officers get jobs through "honest relatives" who are mostly not related by blood. As they usually, "An empty hand cannot be licked", the investment is usually done at the beginning. That's why most of the officers are tied between recovering the lost capital and creating a stable foundation for his or her life.

As anyone has determination to grow, police institution experiences changes in its administrations. It has become a routine that those who seemed to be ripe for the promotions remain dormant while those who are least expected emerge as the new leaders. This corruption has even evaded the blankets and new humans are arriving at the world every year. I hope that's the reason the deadly ogre is not vacating the institution. 

The offences are done everyday. However, the same police receive a cheap tea to fabricate cases. The innocent are imprisoned while the guilty remain free. It seems like they lack the motivation to exercise their enforcement job. 

The same individuals work closely with drug peddlers, robbers and high profile convicts. They even facilitate their escape from the prison. On the issue of the robbing, the police always have a clue on the possible attacks but choose to please the latter. Most of the time, political leaders influence the police institution. They are even afraid to arrest a high profile figure who is always associated with a top ranking officials in government. 

Corruption can only end if the rotten rat at the top is removed and burried. Let the police salaries be increased to avoid issues of depression in future. 

©️ Kelvin Munene 

12/3/2024