Kenya must rethink police reforms approach

By  Vincent Chahale

Country Director

IJM Kenya

As Kenya edges closer to the 2027 General Election, the country is once again confronted by unsettling warning signs.

Recent by-elections, growing political tension and projections pointing to a high risk of election-related violence have reignited fears of a return to the instability that has periodically marked the nation’s democratic journey. Yet, amid the familiar debates about political accountability, electoral integrity and security sector conduct, a critical issue remains largely overlooked: mental wellness.

With a dire prognosis from the Koffi Anan Institute already forecasting an 84.1 per cent probability of strife in the next poll, we must bring into sharp focus the mental health status of the police, considering their constitutional role in safeguarding peace and security.

The threat facing the country is not simply the prospect of violence. It is the possibility that institutions entrusted with protecting citizens could become entangled in political contests. Reports emerging from recent electoral processes have raised concerns about the role of security agencies during periods of heightened political competition. When trust in policing begins to erode, tensions escalate, and the social fabric weakens.

Law enforcement

But while public scrutiny of law enforcement is necessary, reform conversations often overlook the conditions under which police officers operate. For decades, officers have been expected to witness traumatic events, respond to violence, manage civil unrest and confront human suffering repeatedly, without adequate psychosocial support. The cumulative impact of such experiences on their well-being cannot be ignored, especially now that the expectation of excellent policing services does not lessen.

Mental health is not merely a personal concern. It is a governance issue. An officer carrying untreated trauma is more likely to experience impaired judgement, heightened stress responses and difficulty managing high-pressure situations. These challenges do not remain confined to the individual officer. They affect colleagues, families and communities.

The reality is that trauma does not end when a shift ends. Exposure to death, injury, conflict and public hostility often follows officers home. Over time, unresolved trauma can contribute to burnout, emotional exhaustion and strained relationships. Resultantly, it can influence negatively how authority is exercised, especially during tense public demonstrations or election-related confrontations.

This is why Kenya must rethink how it approaches police reform. Accountability remains essential and individual officers must always be responsible for their actions. Nonetheless accountability and wellness are not competing priorities. They are complementary goals. Expecting professional and restraint-based policing from a workforce struggling with unaddressed psychological burdens is both unrealistic and unsustainable.

Psychosocial support  

The State’s duty to security personnel extends beyond salaries, uniforms and equipment. It includes a responsibility to provide systematic psychosocial support, counselling services and mental health interventions. Such support should not be viewed as an employment benefit. It should be treated as a core component of public safety infrastructure. When a country demonstrates care and concern towards the police service, it follows that the officers will also feel an obligation to be humane in the discharge of their role.

Investment in mental health would also strengthen community policing, a model introduced to foster trust between citizens and law enforcement. Community policing was intended to replace fear with cooperation and confrontation with dialogue. Those objectives cannot be fully realised if officers themselves are operating under immense psychological strain.

The path to peaceful elections may not begin at the ballot box. It may begin in recognising that mental health is a cornerstone of democratic stability.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.