'You will soon file reports to police through your phone,' IG Kanja assures Kenyans

The government is seeking to digitize police services to ensure that any citizen can report a case without necessarily going to a police station.

Speaking during the launch of the newly formed National Government Administration Police Unit (NGAPU) in Mombasa, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja made the announcement as he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to streamlining service delivery to Kenyans.

IG Kanja said the latest police reform will involve digitizing the Occurrence Book (OB) so that a person can file a case at any police station in the comfort of their homes using a smartphone.

“Most of the police services are going to be digitized and the programs have been rolled out so that we make sure the service becomes better and the public is served in a good manner. These are some of the agendas lined up to ensure that the reform journey is well grounded within the police service,” he said.

“At the end of the day, you will be able to report a case without going to a police station as long as you have a smartphone because very soon we are going to launch the digital OB.”

The Inspector General expressed optimism that the reforms would take place before his tenure expires.

He lauded the new Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for his commitment to overseeing the reforms saying that the police service is soon going to be the centre of excellence.

“By the time I leave this service, police stations become the centre of excellence of police operations where the service mwananchi is offered,” said Kanja.

“I know it is not a walk in the park to reach there so we require everybody. We have a very effective CS who will be able to drive that agenda because it is in our transformation agenda and our road map launched by the President.”

President William Ruto last year said his administration would spend Ksh.28 billion to modernise the service over the next two years.

The modernisation programme would include new equipment and weapons, digitisation of police operations to bring them to international standards as well as constructing new housing units for police officers.

"I want to commit that I intend to see the process of modernisation to completion in the next two years so that we can have the equipment, vehicles and ammunition necessary to protect our country," the President said.

"We need a modern police service and technology is key to this. We must ensure we digitise operations, including the famous OB (Occurrence Book).”