from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya Bureau
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) -THE Kenyan Police Service (KPS) is undergoing digital transformation in an effort to improve crime-fighting and enhance service delivery.
The National Police Service Information Management System (NPSIMS), which is being rolled out in partnership with the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Digital Economy.
NPSIMS is lauded as an online system designed to provide a unified digital platform consolidating existing fragmented systems into a cohesive solution, enhance service delivery through citizen-centred access, via mobile apps, USSD, web, call centres and social media, to promote transparency and accountability through role-based access, audit trails and a digital chain of custody.
On Tuesday, a delegation of the ministry toured the the National Police Service Headquarters in the capital Nairobi to formally present the system to police executives, under the leadership of Inspector General Douglas Kanja.
John Tanui, Principal Secretary of the State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy, led the government delegation.
Kanja underscored the importance of digitising all police services.
“The automation of police services plays a key role in the National Police Service Strategic Plan (2023–2027) and will significantly contribute to transforming police stations and other service areas into centres of excellence,” he said.
On the same day, Kanja, alongside British High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan, and the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, presided over the launch of the revamped Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) call centre at the directorate’s headquarters in Nairobi.
Established with the support of the British High Commission, DCI’s call centre facilitates anonymous criminal intelligence reports from local and international sources via a toll-free line.
Following the upgrade, it now also operates through a WhatsApp number.
Other key upgrades under the reinvent programme include power backup inverter installation and configuration and advanced recovery server installation.
“The launch demonstrates a strong commitment to proactive public safety by embracing people-centred policing, fostering greater collaboration between law enforcement officers and the community,” Murkomen said.
Crime levels in Kenya are at their highest in years, heightened by youth protests over economic problems.
These have degenerated into violence and looting. Demonstrators invaded Parliament last year.
– CAJ News