National Police

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Background

History of the Kenya Police service

The Kenya Police has its small beginnings in the period between 1887 – 1902, tracing its foundation on the Imperial British East Africa (I.B.E.A.) Company, and a businessman Sir William McKinnon, who in the interest of his business found it necessary to provide some form of protection (security) for his stores along the coastline of Kenya.

It is from this origin that the concept of constituting a real police service was formed in Mombasa. Generally, police activities centered on protection of the business of the I.B.E.A. Company where the strength was mainly of Indian origin with a skeleton staff of some Africans otherwise referred to as ‘Askaris”. During those early stages of the small police force, its duties were negligible.

The construction of the Kenya - Uganda Railway provided for the growth of this infant force inland from our coastline, and by 1902 there existed police service units at Mombasa, Nairobi and Kisumu for the purpose of safeguarding the railways property and materials as well as the manpower engaged in constructing the railway. In essence, peace, law and order had to be maintained despite the fact that the personnel employed then had little training. The laws in force were from India including the Indian Criminal Procedure Code, the Indian Evidence Act and Police Ordinance.

It is notable that up to 1907, the Kenya Police was organized along military lines and the training was military in nature. In 1906, the Kenya Police was legally constituted by a Police Ordinance.

In 1926, the Criminal Intelligence Unit was established with the sole responsibility of collecting, tabulating and recording the history and data of criminals, undesirable and suspicious persons.

Special sections like fingerprint bureau and C.I.D. were created starting with a skeleton staff composed of former police officers from Britain and South Africa. This was the foundation of today’s Kenya Police Force.