Former Chief Justice David Maraga has publicly released the full findings of the National Taskforce on Police Reforms, bypassing executive delays after President William Ruto’s administration failed to publish the document nearly three years after its submission.
The taskforce, chaired by Maraga, was originally commissioned to address structural, operational, and welfare deficits across the National Police Service (NPS), the Kenya Prisons Service, and the National Youth Service. The decision to release the report directly to the public came following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum Maraga issued to State House.
Among the critical data points highlighted in the wake of the report’s release are figures detailing the systemic scale of extrajudicial fatalities and police-involved deaths. According to updated taskforce metrics and human rights monitoring compiled in the document, police activity has contributed to an average of 990 deaths annually—a significant spike compared to historical baselines.
Rights groups and oversight monitors contend that the elevated numbers reflect persistent operational high-handedness and unaddressed systemic failures during enforcement operations.
The report calls for the immediate restoration of operational and financial independence for the Inspector General of Police to insulate the service from political influence.
Recommendations urge structural overhauls in recruitment, promotions, and command structures to eliminate corruption and favoritism.
The document demands urgent audits into logistics and welfare programs—noting that reform projects, such as police uniform procurement, have already been marred by corruption allegations.
Maraga emphasized that withholding the report undermines public trust, adding that Kenya cannot achieve lasting security without transparent, accountable policing. Neither State House nor the National Police Service has issued an official statement responding to the public release of the report.
