MPs considering Bill to have police uniforms without pockets, CCTV cameras to curb bribery on roads

The Bill sponsored by Bomachoge Borabu MP Obadiah Barongo also seeks to create a visual record of interactions between law enforcement officers and the public.

This Bill will allow the deployment of cameras on roads, intensifying policing and enhancing accountability.

Speaking in Parliament Tuesday, Barongo noted the Bill's objective is to amend the Bribery Act, 2016 by inserting a new section 10(A) which highlights anti-bribery measures for the National Police Service.

“These measures include coordination of CCTV cameras in all areas where traffic police are situated, taking action against an officer accepting a bribe in the designated area, commissioning police uniforms that have no pockets and ensuring the CCTV cameras at designated traffic areas are maintained,” he noted.

Further, the Bill seeks to establish eight multi-agency command centres where CCTV footage from designated areas will be stored

The command centres will be manned by officers nominated by the National Police Service and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority.

The Bribery Act provides a framework for preventing, investigating, and punishing bribery. The Act makes it mandatory for public and private entities to put in place measures for the prevention of corruption.

The scrutiny of proposed legislation by the Budget Committee marks a significant step toward enhancing fiscal alignment and legislative efficiency in Kenya.

An analysis by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) shows that it will cost about Ksh 8 billion to install CCTV cameras in all designated traffic management areas across the country.

The Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) chaired by Hon. Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) recently concluded a two-day retreat aimed at evaluating legislative proposals with significant fiscal implications for the economy.

Following deliberations, the Committee unanimously endorsed the Agricultural Professional Registration Bill, 2023, the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Bribery (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Chief’s (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Medical Social Workers Bill, 2023, the Livestock Insurance Bill, 2023, the Land (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Employment (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill, 2023 to advance to the House for debate.

This comes in the wake of rising cases of bribery among security officers especially in the traffic department.

Last week a Nairobi traffic police officer captured in a now viral video soliciting bribes from motorists in Umoja was suspended from the National Police Service (NPS).

The officer, since identified as Police Constable Haron Mwangi of Buruburu Police Station, is seen in the video collecting bribes from six matatus while directing traffic at B Centre area in Umoja.

Unbeknownst to him, a whistleblower was recording the interactions.