Police authorities have reorganised the traffic department.
Traffic police operations and command that were initially devolved and put under the county commanders in the county, were reverted to the commandant.
Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Douglas Kanja made the revelations in a memo to regional and formation commanders.
“For improved regional management and supervision of traffic operations in the country, the Traffic Operation has been reverted back to Commandant Traffic with immediate effect.”
“This will enhance performance, accountability and also supervision. It will also relieve the Sub-county Commanders and Officers Commanding Stations (OCS) supervisory of traffic officers, and give them ample time to concentrate on general duty tasks at the subcounty and police stations respectively,” he said in a memo dated December 31.
He said Commandant Traffic will take full charge of traffic operations and supervision.
“She/he will be responsible to the Deputy Inspector General for smooth and efficient running of the Traffic Unit.”
“Deployment of Traffic duties personnel will be done strictly in consultation with Deputy Inspector General Kenya Police Service,” the memo said.
He asked other officers to ensure cooperation and give Commandant Traffic full support when and where required.
Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome had last year said the operations would be put under the commandant.
The operations had in 2016 been devolved and put under the county commanders in what officials say has failed in the goals set.
Officials said then the decentralisation was aimed at ensuring better management of affairs.
But it has since emerged the move cannot work.
This is after officials complained some commanders were deploying non-traffic officers to the roles of managing traffic operations.
Other insiders explained traffic officers were not managing their operations well as they are uncoordinated.
In the reorganisation of the traffic operations, the county and divisional traffic officers will now report to the traffic commandant.
The current traffic commandant is Mary Omari.
In the new arrangements, traffic headquarters will now also manage research, government vehicle unit, and check unit, highway patrol, driving schools, and National Transport and Safety Authority officers, formulation of policies and organisation of courses for officers at various levels.
The officers will also manage axle load unit and weighbridges, government vehicle check unit, northern corridors, government accident investigation unit, airports and other ports.
The move was praised by many police commanders who said it will make management and operations easy.
A taskforce on police reforms has recommended the restructuring of the current Traffic Police Unit into a new Traffic Management Unit that is well-trained, leaner in numbers, and mainly reliant on technology to control and manage traffic flow in the country.
“The taskforce envisages the use of technology in the detection of traffic infractions, and the attendant fines becoming cashless by use of technology.”
“While that is being done, the taskforce recommends appropriate amendment of Section 65 of the NPS Act within six months, and the abolition of police roadblocks and their replacement with mobile patrol units,” the team says.
As part of efforts to address the graft menace, police officers carrying out traffic duties were ordered not to carry firearms to their workstations.
In an internal memo dated November 30, Kanja’s deputy Miriam Muli, said effective November 30, officers actively discharging traffic duties will no longer carry firearms.
She cited misuse of firearms by the traffic officers. Kanja directed commanders to ensure the directive was adhered to.
"It has been noted with great concern that officers actively engaged on Traffic duties are armed (carrying firearms). This has resulted in misuse of the firearms by the officers."
"From today, November 30, 2023, no officer actively on Traffic duties will carry a firearm. Commanders ensure this directive is complied with promptly. Confirm copied and compliance," reads the memo.
Other officers, however, said the directive was not new, and it is only being enforced.
The directive came after the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission CEO Twalib Mbarak called for the disarming of traffic officers.
He said the move by the police authorities shows there is cooperation between the institutions in the fight against graft.
“This is a good move and we welcome it. Let us all support this war on corruption whether big or small,” he said.
Mbarak said the issue of major highways having armed traffic cops is meant to scare integrity and anti-corruption officers from fulfilling their operations.