This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
On June 22, 2020, Inspector-General Hillary Mutyambai made history by hosting his first live Twitter chat with the public, marking a significant step towards improving communication between the National Police Service and the community.
During the chat, Mutyambai revealed that the police service is drafting legislation to enable paperless payment of fines, which would allow traffic offenders to pay their fines in real-time using M-Pesa once approved by parliament.
He also addressed allegations of corruption and police brutality, urging Kenyans to provide evidence of such incidents to aid in the quest for justice. In response to a question about why traffic police officers continue to receive bribes, Mutyambai promised to take immediate action on the matter and encouraged Kenyans to report such cases to the Internal Affairs Unit.
Regarding police brutality, Mutyambai warned officers against taking the law into their hands and revealed that several officers have been investigated and found culpable, with some being interdicted. He also announced plans to introduce body cameras in the police service once sufficient resources are allocated.
As part of his efforts to improve the welfare of officers, Mutyambai stated that his office is working to improve psychosocial frameworks and provide retraining for officers who may not be reformed in the service.
In a bid to increase transparency and accountability, Mutyambai has committed to dedicating an hour every Monday to engage with Kenyans on Twitter.
