President William Ruto has declared that Kenya’s journey toward transformation and global competitiveness begins at home, stating, “Safari ya kwenda Singapore inaanzia hapa Nairobi City” (The journey to Singapore starts here in Nairobi City).
The President used the remarks to emphasize his administration’s commitment to reforms and development, saying Kenya’s ambition to become a world-class economy must be built on strong local foundations.
Addressing concerns over police brutality, Ruto said the vice is not new and has been witnessed since 1963, arguing that it did not begin with his administration.
He claimed that cases were even more prevalent during the previous regime, accusing some political leaders of selective criticism and hypocrisy.
The President said that to prevent future excesses, he issued written policy directives on July 18 last year to the Inspector General of the National Police Service outlining strict conditions on the use of force and firearms by police officers.
According to Ruto, the directive provides guidance on deployment protocols, including assessing the mental health status of officers before assigning them duties involving firearms. The move aims to curb incidents where officers misuse weapons, resulting in civilian deaths.
He maintained that the reforms are intended to enhance accountability within the police service and ensure clear policy frameworks are in place to guide law enforcement operations.
The President added that the measures will provide a basis for evaluating government action on police conduct in the future, as the country continues to push for governance reforms alongside its broader economic transformation agenda.
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