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Michael Ollinga is a journalist at TUKO.co.ke with over 10 years of experience covering courts and crimes, special reports, and current affairs in Kenya.
Members of the National Assembly have renewed the push to ensure police uniforms do not have pockets.
This is in a bid to counter bribery and corruption among police officers.
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Through the National Assembly Administration and Security Committee, the MPs are considering passing the Bribery Amendment Bill.
Among other things, the bill seeks to commission police uniforms that do not have pockets and install CCTV cameras that would help monitor the movement and behaviour of traffic police officers while on duty.
The bill's sponsor, Bomachoge Borabu MP Obadiah Barongo, also wants to enable the visual recording of interactions between police officers and civilians.
TUKO.co.ke understands that the bill seeks to deploy cameras on roads to intensify transparent and accountable policing.
Addressing the plenary on Tuesday, April 16, Barongo stated that the bill's objective is to amend the Bribery Act of 2016 by inserting a new section highlighting anti-bribery controls for the National Police Service.
He explained that the amendment to the Bribery Act of 2016 he sought is to insert Section 10(A).
"The measures include installing, maintaining, and coordinating CCTV cameras in all spaces where traffic police officers operate. Other measures are taking action against officers taking bribes in areas under surveillance, commissioning police uniforms without pockets," the legislator said.
KBC reported that eight multi-agency command centres for evaluating CCTV footage will be established if the amendment is passed.
The policy proposes that the command centres be manned by officers nominated by the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the National Police Service.
As is, the Bribery Act gives a framework for preventing, investigating, and punishing bribery as part of countering corruption.
The bill has received a boost after being scrutinised by the National Assembly's Budget Committee as it assures fiscal alignment.
The Parliamentary Budget Office has established that it will take Kenyan taxpayers KSh 8 billion to install CCTV cameras nationwide at all designated traffic management areas.
Former Police Spokesperson Charles Owino rubbished calls for pocketless uniforms, arguing that Kenyans were fond of giving bribes.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
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Traffic police officer at work and Bomachoge Borabu MP Obadiah Barongo
MPs Push for Pocketless Police Uniforms, Installation of CCTV Cameras
CCTV Camera Installation at Police Stations- B.PAC