Kenya's Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has ordered the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to take swift action against individuals who wear camouflage and other security-style uniforms while posing as police officers or members of specialised security units. This move comes as some individuals have been using uniforms resembling those worn by security officers to deceive the public and provide security at political gatherings, despite not being members of the security services. Murkomen stated that he has instructed the Inspector General to arrest all criminals who wear camouflage uniforms and pretend to be special operating groups or police officers.
Murkomen's directive is aimed at protecting the integrity of Kenya's security services, which are being undermined by individuals who con Kenyans by presenting themselves as security officers while providing security at political gatherings. According to Murkomen, the individuals are allegedly using the uniforms to deceive the public and gain trust. Kenyan law already prohibits the unauthorised use of police uniforms and the impersonation of police officers, with Section 101 of the National Police Service Act making it an offence for a person who is not a police officer to wear or assume the uniform, name, designation or description of a police officer without written authority from the Inspector General.
The law also covers uniforms, names or designations resembling or intended to resemble those of police officers, and makes it an offence for a person to pretend to be a police officer for a purpose they are not legally authorised to perform. A person convicted of the offence is liable to a fine of up to Sh1 million, imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both. The National Police Service Act provides a clear framework for addressing the issue of police impersonation, and Murkomen's directive is a step towards enforcing the law and maintaining the integrity of Kenya's security services.
As the crackdown on police impersonation begins, it is expected that the Inspector General of Police will take concrete steps to identify and arrest individuals who are illegally wearing security-style uniforms. The move is likely to have a significant impact on the security landscape in Kenya, particularly in the context of political gatherings where security is a major concern. With the law clearly outlining the penalties for police impersonation, it remains to be seen how effective the crackdown will be in preventing individuals from posing as police officers and undermining the integrity of Kenya's security services.
