Raila: National Police Service has left us worse than we were in 2010

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has accused the National Police Service (NPS) of undermining the Constitution by perpetuating human rights abuses instead of protecting Kenyans.

Speaking during the inaugural Katiba Day celebrations at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Wednesday, Raila said police brutality has worsened despite the reforms promised under the 2010 Constitution.

“In my submission, some of the institutions of the 2010 Constitution have let the country down. The National Police Service, in my view, has left us worse off than we were before 2010. Abuse of the right to life, degradation of human dignity, torture and denial of security of person by the police have increased under the watch of NPS,” Raila said.

He urged the government to re-examine police reforms, noting that efforts to compensate victims of past protests were a step in the right direction but not enough to address systemic failures.

“Maybe it is time for the country to rethink police reforms,” he added, pointing to examples from other African countries where security institutions are structured to respect citizens’ rights.

The opposition leader also criticized other key constitutional bodies, including the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), saying they too have failed to meet public expectations.

On the IEBC, Raila argued that Kenya has made little progress since the advent of multiparty politics.

“The same issues Kenyans faced in 1992 when we held our first multi-party elections still haunt us. Let us hope that the new electoral commission in place will make a difference,” he said.

He noted that public confidence in elections remains low, with the process still viewed as divisive and costly.

“Our elections are some of the most expensive in the world. The cost of the ballot in Kenya is five times higher than that of the US. It never seems to matter how many times we change commissioners or technology; the cost remains higher,” Raila remarked.

Despite his criticism, Raila expressed hope that the newly appointed IEBC commissioners would restore trust in the electoral system and help address long-standing concerns.

Turning to the ODPP, he argued that the office has largely failed to deliver justice, falling short of the high expectations Kenyans placed on it when the 2010 Constitution was enacted.

Raila’s remarks added weight to ongoing national debates about whether institutions created under the 2010 Constitution are truly serving their purpose or need a fresh round of reforms to meet the demands of Kenyans.