NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 7 — Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has directed Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to move with speed against individuals wearing camouflage and other security-style uniforms while allegedly posing as police officers or members of specialised security units.
Murkomen said some individuals were using uniforms resembling those worn by security officers to deceive members of the public and provide security at political gatherings despite not being members of the security services.
“I have told the Inspector General of Police he must move with speed and arrest all criminals that wear camouflage uniforms pretending to be special operating groups or police officers,” Murkomen said.
He said the individuals were allegedly conning Kenyans by presenting themselves as security officers while providing security at political gatherings.
“We must protect the integrity of our security services,” he said.
Kenyan law already prohibits the unauthorised use of police uniforms and the impersonation of police officers.
Section 101 of the National Police Service Act makes it an offence for a person who is not a police officer, without written authority from the Inspector General, to wear or assume the uniform, name, designation or description of a police officer.
The provision also covers uniforms, names or designations resembling or intended to resemble those of police officers.
It further makes it an offence for a person to pretend to be a police officer for a purpose they are not legally authorised to perform.
A person convicted of the offence is liable to a fine of up to Sh1 million, imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both. National Police Service Act – Kenya Law
The law therefore covers both the unauthorised wearing of police uniforms and the use of uniforms or designations intended to resemble those of police officers.
