KAIKAI'S KICKER: Langata Police woman is armed and dangerous!

On my kicker tonight, the national police service recently unveiled a new uniform for police officers – a uniform comprising a sky-blue shirt and navy blue trousers – more of what they used to wear before the imposition of the current, rather atrocious deep blue strip they currently wear.

For three days the National Police Service, invited public views on the new uniforms and typical of Kenyans, the reviews made for some really entertaining consumption.

 One Kenyan suggested the new uniform should not have pockets. This he said, will wad off temptations by police officers to take bribes, since, in the reasoning of that Kenyan, they will have no pockets to carry any cash – not in notes, and not in coins.

Now personally, I look forward not just to a new uniform for police officers but for some dress code stability. It would not sound right if the national police service uniforms keep changing with each new government.

But then, an incident involving a police officer in Nairobi on Wednesday should be a reminder that the police service needs more than just a change of uniform…

The setting was the Lang’ata cemetery where workers were protesting delay of their wages. This police officer, totally unprovoked, seemed to be on a meltdown of her own and angrily charged at journalists and she could be heard threatening to hit them.

Now, no uniform can change the appearance and conduct of such an officer. She fell short on professional conduct and she was without a doubt, an unnecessary embarrassment to many police officers of good standing. Despite the presence of cameras, the police officer displayed her ugly side in a way that makes one wonder what she is capable of in more discreet spaces.

And make no mistake, our police service comprises some of the most professional and dedicated patriots. I even dare believe good officers comprise the majority of the national police service.  Many of them are known personally to me, some from as far back as my schoolboy days.

Some are legendary investigators cracking some of our country’s most intricate crimes, some are brave law enforcers putting their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. You also know about the diligent men and women in police uniform working hard to make traffic movement possible in some of the toughest hours on our roads.

There are many officers on the beat, some in uniform and others undercover to keep our streets and communities safe. Many of them; if not all of them, make great personal sacrifices worth the recognition and appreciation of all Kenyans. And to all those good police officers, I salute you!

But just like other sectors of our society including media, the national police service has its own bad apples. There was one on assignment in Lang’ata on Wednesday. This is why together with the new uniforms, an image makeover would be necessary for the police service.

A police officer of the kind on duty at Langata cemetery yesterday is dangerous to herself, to the public and to the image and professional national police service. Take a look again; she is very angry, very upset about something – nothing that we can see in the video… or does she just hate journalists?

As we await word from the police oversight authority IPOA, the National Police Service command should move fast and assist this police officer. All we know at this stage is; she is armed and dangerous!