Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu at a past function. Nyamu has tabled a motion in the Senate for police stations to install CCTvs and digitalize OBs. Photo: Karen Nyamu X.
Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has tabled a motion in the Senate urging the national government to install functional Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in all police stations, cells, and reporting desks across the country.
Nyamu has called on the Ministry of Interior to ensure that all CCTV systems are actively monitored in real time, with footage securely stored and made readily accessible for use in investigations and judicial proceedings.
She further emphasized that the installation of surveillance systems will promote transparency, accountability, and the protection of both law enforcement officers and members of the public.
Additionally, she proposes the continued digitization of the Occurrence Book (OB) platform as part of broader police reforms aimed at modernising service delivery.
Nyamu’s motion coming after controversial death of Homabay X blogger Albert Ojwang’, who was tortured to death at Central Police Station.
The officers from the police station claimed that the CCTV was not functional at the moment Ojwang’ was arrested, and later on discovered that it was tampered with after IPOA demanded the footage from the station to trace the events that unfolded before Ojwang’ was rushed to Mbagathi Hospital.
During his state of address, after public outrage demanding accountability for the blogger’s death, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen directed that all 1,209 police stations across the country will be mandated to CCTvs within two years, in a government effort to enhance transparency and curb police misconduct.
Murkomen further directed that the stations CCTvs will solely be managed by Officer Commanding Station (OCS), and further backed up with external guidance, to avoid interference and tampering with the footage.
“It shall be mandatory to equip police stations with CCTV surveillance to enhance transparency and accountability. All the police stations currently standing at 1,209 shall have CCTV surveillance within the next two years. We shall be making proposals to Parliament to enact laws that criminalise tampering with CCTV cameras,” said Murkomen earlier.
He stated that the ministry will look for assistance from the National Assembly and Senate, to help actualize the implementation. All the proposed measures by Murkomen, are closely aligning with the motion tabled by Senator Nyamu.
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