Police Reforms and Counter Terrorism Measures in Kenya: A case of Nairobi City County

Abstract

This study intended to evaluate the role of police reforms on counter terrorism in Kenya. A case of Nairobi City County. The study was guided by the following objectives: - to examine the effect of police training on counterterrorism measures, to investigate how improved equipment for police operations influences counter-terrorism measures, to establish the role of police and civilian partnership on counterterrorism measures and to investigate how centralization of command system among the different arms of the police has influenced counterterrorism measures. Kurt Lewin’s change model theory and Institutional Theory were used in analyzing the theoretical background as well as discussing the findings. The study used descriptive research design which entailed the use of questionnaires, key informant interviews and in-depth interviews to collect data from the police officers. The target population for this study comprised police officers both junior and senior, The Kenya Crime Centre employees, National intelligence service, Nyumba Kumi officials all working in Nairobi County which represented the study population. The sample size for the study was 260 respondents. Primary data was collected using questionnaires; while secondary data was collected through thematic review of literature on terrorism implications. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic method; while on the other hand quantitative data was critically analyzed using frequencies with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 23). The study significantly noted that 48% of police officers were not conversant with the current training curriculum on counter-terrorism. The officers familiar with such practice were members from the elite security squad Recce whose main mandate is to protect high profile government officials and heads of states when they visit Kenya and also conduct terrorism hostage rescue mission. Police reforms are top-down and outside-inside thus, the study recommended that police officers of all ranks be integrated in the design and implementation of reforms to enable them become agents of reforms through enhanced training. The study also recommended for sufficient Equipment maintenance and supply to enhance rapid and on time response to terror attacks and that police reforms should be fully institutionalized and decentralized in order to make them sustainable and prepare the ground for continuous organizational learning. Centralization of commands calls for urgent need for the Government to provide adequate funding for the institutions to enable them perform their functions effectively and finally the importance of police and civilian partnership must be prioritized if the reforms are to go by.