Kenya Police Ranked Bottom 5 In Africa Due To Lack Of Professionalism
Kenya is among the bottom tier of countries in terms of public trust in the police force.
According to a recent Afrobarometer report, Kenya ranks third from the bottom among African countries with the most professional police forces. The country has a score of just 18%.
Only two countries, Nigeria and Congo-Brazzaville, have lower scores than Kenya for police professionalism, at 17% and 13%, respectively.
Still on police professionalism, Tanzania leads the way in East Africa, ranking in the top ten countries with the most professional police forces.
Kenya ranks among African countries with the lowest trust in police at 34%.
— Moe (@moneyacademyKE) December 19, 2024
Other countries include:
South Africa —32%
Angola —32%
Ghana —28%
Liberia —26%
Gabon— 25%
Eswatini —23%
São Tomé and Príncipe— 22%
Sierra Leone—19%
Nigeria—15%
Source: Afrobarometer.
Burkina Faso, Morocco, and Benin top the list in terms of police professionalism, with scores of 68%, 64%, and 61%, respectively. Tanzania, Kenya’s East African neighbour, was ranked ninth with a score of 53%, in stark contrast to several other African countries.
Despite the police force’s importance in preserving law and order in the country, it has been heavily criticized in recent months, particularly in Kenya.
Following the viral anti-Finance Bill protests in June 2024, Kenyan police were harshly chastised for how they handled mass action, which was primarily driven by Kenyan youth.
Cases of cruelty and abduction were common, with some of these incidents being captured on tape.
Tanzania has been ranked among the Top 10 African countries with the most professional police forces, according to a recent Afrobarometer report.
— The Citizen Tanzania (@TheCitizenTz) December 18, 2024
The following African countries have been ranked as having the highest levels of police professionalism
1 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso: 68%
2 🇲🇦… pic.twitter.com/nBVaKFGwgZ
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo expressed sorrow for the police violence used against demonstrators during one of the most recent anti-femicide demonstrations.
The survey, performed between 2021 and 2023 in 39 African countries, also indicated a concerning trend throughout the continent, with only one in every three individuals believing in the police’s ability to defend the rule of law and preserve order.
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The report identified several main challenges that impede the police’s capacity to successfully carry out their mandate, including institutional corruption, police violence, and a general lack of professionalism.
Notably, North Africa had the highest levels of faith in their police force, with 51% of respondents expressing confidence in the authorities. Central Africa reported the lowest levels at 37%.
In terms of corruption, Nigeria, Kenya, and the other nations with the lowest levels of police professionalism were among the top ten countries where officers were most likely to solicit bribes to serve civilians.
Kenya scored 10th in this category, with 52% of respondents concerned about the prospect of being asked for bribes. Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone were placed first, second, and third in this regard.
Kenya Police Ranked Bottom 5 In Africa Due To Lack Of Professionalism
