UGM Party Leader Maraga Releases Delayed Police Reforms Report, Calls for End to Political Influence
By Peace Muthoka.
NAIROBI, Kenya, August 31, 2026 — United Green Movement (UGM) Party Leader David Maraga has released the long-awaited Taskforce on Police Reforms report, nearly three years after it was handed to President William Ruto, amid renewed concerns over police conduct and political violence in the country.
Maraga, a former Chief Justice, said he was compelled to release the report to the public following what he described as the unleashing of political goons on Kenyans in Homa Bay.
He said the public has a right to access and debate the findings of a report that was funded by taxpayers, particularly at a time when questions over the conduct and independence of security agencies are back in the spotlight.
The report was handed to President Ruto on November 16, 2023, but has remained largely inaccessible to the public.
At the heart of the report, Maraga said, is a call for an independent National Police Service that is free from political interference.
“The central finding in the report is not a suggestion, it is a constitutional command: the National Police Service must be independent,” Maraga said.
He argued that police independence is already guaranteed under the 2010 Constitution, which requires national security organs to remain non-partisan and prohibits them from advancing the interests of political parties or causes.
Article 244 further requires the National Police Service to uphold human rights, human dignity, integrity, professionalism and discipline, while Article 245 provides for an Inspector-General who exercises independent command of the service.
Maraga also took issue with changes made to the National Police Service Act in 2014, saying they weakened safeguards that were intended to promote competitive and transparent recruitment of senior police commanders.
Before the amendments, the National Police Service Commission was required to advertise the position of Inspector-General, conduct public interviews, shortlist candidates and forward the names to the President for nomination.
The changes, according to Maraga, gave the President greater control over the appointment of the Inspector-General, Deputy Inspectors-General and the Director of Criminal Investigations.
The taskforce recommended repealing the 2014 amendments, which Maraga said it found unconstitutional, and called for fresh recruitment and vetting of senior police officers.
The former Chief Justice also questioned the continued service of senior police officers beyond the statutory retirement age, arguing that provisions allowing extensions for officers with rare skills had been abused.
He linked the question of police independence to Kenya’s history of political violence, warning that a politically influenced police service could undermine public safety and democratic institutions.
Maraga cited incidents of alleged political violence and police brutality under the current administration, including events in Homa Bay, Keumbu and Ol Kalou.
He also presented figures purporting to show a rise in deaths linked to police brutality under President Ruto compared with previous administrations. The figures and allegations contained in his statement, however, require independent verification.
With the report now in the public domain, Maraga is calling for Parliament and the government to revisit the legal framework governing the appointment of senior police commanders.
He wants the Inspector-General, Deputy Inspectors-General and Director of Criminal Investigations to be appointed through competitive, transparent processes in line with constitutional requirements on merit, integrity and fair competition.
The release of the report comes amid heightened public debate over police accountability and the role of security agencies in politically charged situations.
Maraga said he had handed a physical copy of the report to the media and made a full copy available through his X account.
He chose to release the document on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, dedicating it to victims of enforced disappearances.
He urged Kenyans to read and interrogate the report and push for the implementation of its recommendations, saying restoring the independence of national security organs, particularly the National Police Service, is critical to guaranteeing peace and security.
