Barely a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta announced reforms in the police service, many Kenyans, among them politicians, have continued to weigh-in on the development.
The latest one has been Seme Member of Parliament James Nyikal who has questioned Uhuru’s move to merge the Administration Police with Kenya Police.
Speaking on Radio Jambo’s ‘Mazungumzo Waziwazi’ Thursday evening, the former Permanent Secretary termed the move as unconstitutional.
Invoking article 243 of the constitution, Nyikal pointed out that the law dictates that the nation shall have both units at the same time, making Uhuru’s move a contravention of the law.
‘’Sijui mbona amefanya hivyo maana katiba inasema tutakuwa na vitengo vyote viwili (it is unconstitutional as the law says that we must have the two units separately at any given time),’’ he said.
He as well questioned the new directive that officers will nolonger be housed in camps and given house allowance instead, terming the same as unrealistic.
‘’Polisi wakati mwingine hutakikana kwa haraka na inafaa wawe pamoja ili wapatikane haraka, tukiambia kila mmoja aishi anakotaka italeta shida nyakati za dharura (it will be hard bringing them together during emergencies if we allow each to house themselves separately),’’ he added.
The move has as well been opposed by Rarieda lawmaker and law expert Otiende Amollo, who is of the opinion that the President should have let the issue be held by top police bosses.
The changes have as well seen some police rankings abolished and the police uniform changed to blue, a move the President says is aimed at making them more visible.