Interior and National Administration CS Kipchumba Murkomen has taken issue with the High Court verdict declaring the police reforms taskforce unlawful.
The CS said the ruling is unfavourable to officers who are facing numerous challenges that the Maraga-led Police Reforms taskforce sought to address.
"Courts should be considerate about the welfare of police officers," Murkomen said, faulting the Judiciary for declaring the 23-member presidential taskforce to review police welfare as unconstitutional.
While responding to Justice Lawrence Mugambi’s ruling that the President violated constitutional provisions to form the team, the CS regretted to note that most of the issues raised by officers during his Jukwaa la Usalama coastal region tour bordered majorly on welfare.
"It’s unbelievable that a judge assigned officers with similar issues being shared across the country would declare a taskforce looking into the officers welfare unconstitutional,” questioned the CS.
Speaking in Mwatate, Taita Taveta county on Saturday, Murkomen condemned the ruling, terming it irresponsible and warned it might slow down the much needed police reforms.
Since his coming to the office, the Interior CS has been pushing for several reforms in the National Police Service aiming to improve the welfare of police officers.
This includes housing, acquisition of equipment, adoption of technology and human resource reforms. In all the six counties, officers have raised a myriad of issues ranging from mobility challenges, housing, transfers, promotions and renumeration.
The judge also ruled that, since the task force is unlawful, any decisions or actions made by it are likewise invalid.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Mugambi said that the President erred in appointing the task force by duplicating the functions of the National Police Service Commission (NPSC)
The judge found that the President had no mandate to establish a task force on police reforms, overstepping the role of the NPSC.
He said the President cannot use his Executive powers to take away functions of an independent commission.
''The President cannot, under the disguise of executive powers, take functions of an independent commission and vest them in a task force. It is unlawful and unconstitutional," he ruled.
The 23-member task force, appointed by President Ruto in December 2022, was mandated to assess the welfare of police officers and review their terms and conditions of service.
The team completed its report and submitted its findings to Ruto on October 5, 2023, with various recommendations including increasing salariees of officers.
