Willis Otieno: Safina Party will dismantle colonial DNA in Kenya’s police
Safina Party has placed police reforms at the centre of its 2027 manifesto, with Deputy Party Leader Willis Otieno vowing to overhaul what he called the colonial DNA of Kenya’s policing system.
In a statement on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, Otieno said the party’s mission is to put power back in the hands of citizens through direct civilian oversight of the police.
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“Safina Party promises police reforms that give power to the People through direct civilian oversight,” he said.
Also watch: Willis Otieno blames Ruto, says State House is now a hub of corruption and backroom deals
Otieno traced the roots of today’s policing challenges to the force’s colonial origins, saying it was built to control rather than serve Kenyans.
“The Kenya Police was created in 1902 by the British colonial government, not to serve the people, but to protect settler interests, collect taxes, and suppress African resistance. The police enforced the hut tax, seized livestock, and broke up protests. From the Mau Mau emergency (1952–1960) to everyday crackdowns, the institution was trained to see Kenyans as threats, not citizens,” he stated.
He argued that without deep reforms, Kenya will continue to suffer from police corruption, brutality, and political misuse.
“Accountability vacuum: Police answer upwards to bosses, not downwards to the people they serve. That’s why phrases like ‘orders from above’ still excuse illegal killings,” he explained.
Adding;
“Extrajudicial killings: Groups like Missing Voices documented over 1,200 extrajudicial killings and disappearances in Kenya between 2007 and 2022. Victims are mostly young men in poor areas.”
He also pointed to the economic cost of corruption, stressing that ordinary Kenyans pay the price for bribes at roadblocks, police stations, and licensing offices.
“To restore legitimacy: A force feared by citizens cannot secure their cooperation. Security must be rooted in trust, not fear. To stop political misuse: If OCPDs, OCSs, and senior officers remain presidential appointees, police will always bend to political masters. To align with the Constitution 2010: Article 244 demands police be ‘professional, impartial, accountable to the public’. Yet reality betrays the promise. Economic cost of corruption: Bribes at roadblocks, licensing, and services siphon billions annually from ordinary Kenyans. Reform would free up that money for productivity,” he said.
Otieno’s remarks come days after Safina unveiled its new leadership. Businessman Jimi Wanjigi was officially handed the party’s top seat by Senior Counsel Paul Muite on Thursday, September 19, 2025.
“I am handing over the baton of leadership to Jimmy Wanjigi, Willis Otieno & Gen Z,” Muite said during the handover.
