Bill to regulate VIP security detail in House
Some of the 1311 police recruits who have completed recruits training course at the GSU training sch yest. President Mwai Kibaki ordered the deployment of all the recruits to the Tana delta to bring peace between the two waring communities. Photo/ Jack Owuor
A bill seeking to limit the number of security officers assigned to constitutional office holders went through the first reading yesterday. The Bill, sponsored by Kilgoris MP Gideon Konchella, seeks to regularise the provision of security to constitutional office holders during their term in and after office.
Konchella says although administrative arrangements have been made to provide security for constitutional office holders, there is need to enact a law on this matter to ensure there is coordination and harmony in the provision of such security. If the Bill is enacted, then it will see all constitutional office holders restricted to a maximum number of security officers.
The Bill comes after a committee established to spearhead police reforms said they lacked a clear policy on who was entitled to VIP protection. The team lead by Kenya Airways CEO Titus Naikuni says the level of entitlement had created a situation where a large number of police officers were engaged on VIP protection at the expense of core police duties.
MPs are entitled to at least one police bodyguard each and two for their homes upcountry or in the city. Their spouses are also entitled to police bodyguards and so are their children. Some policemen serve as VIP drivers. Some parastatal chiefs, permanent secretaries and deputy secretaries are entitled to police bodyguards. Provincial and district commissioners are assigned bodyguards as well.