Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, on Thursday, September 26, disclosed a startling statistic during his appearance before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security. Kindiki revealed that more than 1,500 police stations across Kenya are currently operating without vehicles, severely hampering the National Police Service’s (NPS) ability to execute its mandate effectively.

The revelation paints a grim picture of Kenya’s law enforcement infrastructure, with the vehicle shortage ranking among the most pressing issues affecting police performance. “About half of the police stations in the country do not have vehicles,” Kindiki informed the committee, highlighting the serious resource gap facing the force.

Highlights:

• CS Kindiki reveals over 1,500 police stations lack vehicles.
• Police stations struggle with insufficient NPR personnel in key counties.
• Ksh3 million recently donated to a police station, but none was allocated for vehicles.

Wider Deficit in Resources

Beyond the shortage of vehicles, Kindiki also pointed to other critical gaps in police resources, particularly in areas such as Marsabit, Wajir, and Tana River. These counties suffer from an inadequate number of National Police Reservists (NPR), a key security component in these often volatile regions. “The long-term measure is to increase police capacity, but in the short term, we will continue enhancing NPRs,” Kindiki said, indicating the government’s immediate strategy to address the personnel shortage.

The deficit of NPR officers adds to the growing list of challenges faced by the police, further straining efforts to maintain law and order in remote areas.

Recent Oversight in Police Donations

The issue of missing vehicles has been brought into sharper focus following a recent donation made by Kindiki to the Kihara Police Station in Kiambaa Constituency. The CS contributed Ksh3 million to equip the station with furniture and computers, but no funds were directed toward purchasing much-needed vehicles, a decision that has raised eyebrows.

Of the donation, Ksh2 million went towards buying furniture, while Ksh1 million was allocated for computers. However, the lack of vehicles at this and other stations remains a critical issue, hindering police response times and operational capacity.

Broader Infrastructural Issues

In addition to the vehicle shortage, police stations across the country face broader infrastructural challenges. A report released by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu in January 2024 highlighted that only 464 of the 3,000 parcels of land occupied by police stations have ownership documents. This lack of title deeds exposes many stations to the risk of land encroachment, further complicating their operations.

The report also found that 49 gazetted police stations and nine Coast Guard field stations were operating without government funding, relying instead on neighboring stations for daily operational costs. This chronic underfunding exacerbates the strain on police resources, contributing to a range of operational difficulties.

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Next Steps

CS Kindiki’s disclosure of the vehicle shortage underscores the urgent need for increased investment in Kenya’s police infrastructure. With more than 1,500 stations operating without vehicles and ongoing issues with land ownership and funding, the NPS faces significant challenges in fulfilling its mandate. As the government continues to address these gaps, enhancing NPR personnel and prioritizing resource allocation will be critical to improving law enforcement capabilities across the country.