Police reservists neglected, forced to wear shabby makeshift ‘uniforms’

From makeshift uniforms to meager pay that always comes late and never in full, police reservists see themselves as forgotten plain clothes cops not equipped to do the job.

Morelo Lokitar [not his real name], has worked as a police reservist for 10 years, but has only been paid half his dues.

The 40-year old is the father of 10 children and because his official Sh5,000 monthly salary seldom, if ever comes, he operates a shop at Lodwar shopping centre and keeps herds of goats and cows.

He is lucky to have a small shop and livestock but some of his colleagues engage in crime, such as banditry, to make ends meet.

“Police reservists in this region are just licensed bandits or accomplices because the government has forgotten about us. We are not given uniforms and when given they are never replaced, leaving them tattered,” he said.

“The guns, yes, government gives us guns but they never track them and this leave them in the hands of people who tend to engage in crime. That is why banditry will never end,” he said.

There are more than 6,013 NPR officers in the country. Nairobi has the lowest number of NPR officers at eight, followed by Elgeyo Marakwet 30 and Kitui 68.

Turkana has the highest number of these officers at 1,431, followed by Mandera 1,123 and Wajir 1,075 officers.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithuri Kindiki last year noted the plight of the police reservists, announcing in May their welfare issues will be addressed.

He announced that all the NPR members will be given NHIF cover at the State’s expense. They will get new uniforms and their working conditions improved.

It is not clear how many of these promises have been realised.

"The government appreciates the pivotal role played by the National Police Reservists. They are a key partner in combating criminals. The government will provide them with the National Health Insurance Fund cover, uniforms and equipment to facilitate them in service delivery," the CS said.

The National Police Service Commission is required by law to assess their suitability and competence; any officer who fails vetting is dismissed.

It is also required to train NPR officers and ensure its members are conversant with the law and their operations. Also, the National Security Council is obligated to determine the maximum number of NPR officers.

The David Maraga task force indicts both the commission and the National Security Council, saying in its report these measures have not yet been implemented.

During the public hearings of the task force, the public overwhelming supported the reservists and said a properly managed NPR would greatly help the NPS curb insecurity, especially in far flung areas.

The NPS Reservists are currently paid Sh5,000 per month but the actual figure varies from one region to another.

The report corroborates the claim by Lokitar of painful payment delays for NPR officers, finding they are ordinarily paid after two or more months.

Commanders in charge collect the NPR pay in cash and it is questionable how much of the money reaches the reservists.

“The task force noted there is no transparency in the handling of cash paid to reservists,” the report said.

These challenges, including minimal professionalism and lack of proper training force some NPR to officers engage in criminality, including taking sides during ethnic strife.

“We are in the community and part of it. If some cattle rustlers raid our community, we join the warriors. Sometimes, we engage in cattle rustling because it is our culture,” Morelo Lokitar said.

The Maraga report found that “NPR members sometimes take sides in inter-communal conflicts and conduct themselves in an unprofessional manner.”

In urban areas, NPR officers are mostly members of the business community and are issued with firearms to protect their businesses and families.

The task force was also informed that county governments sometimes take in trained NPR as members of their inspectorate without clear structures.

“There is no policy to guide recruitment, training, deployment, and management of NPR,” the report said.

The task force recommended the IG should develop, review and assess NPR policies and regulations to ensure accountability and their effective management.

To reform the management of NPR affairs, the task force wants IG Japheth Koome and the National Police Service Commission to “consider automating the payment of allowances to members of the NPR in order to enhance transparency and accountability.”

"Also, the IG should develop a clear structure for the NPS Reserve to provide for its command, disciplinary processes and other measures,” the task force report said.

The task force called for immediate vetting of police reservists in line with the police law and weed out those who have engaged in crime or been accomplices to banditry and livestock rustling.

The commission and the Inspector-General should implement the training programme for NPR designed by the Kenya National Focal Point for Small Arms, the report read.

The IG should design an appropriate uniform for the NPS and quip them adequately.