Years after its launch, the promise of community policing to build safer neighbourhoods remains largely unfulfilled, stalled by the very corruption and crime it was meant to fight. A damning new report confirms what many Kenyans have long suspected: deep-rooted mistrust and misconduct within the police service are the biggest roadblocks to its success.

The core issue is a profound trust deficit between citizens and law enforcement. The "Impact of Community Policing in Kenya" report by the National Crime Research Centre (NCRC), released Thursday, found that initiatives have not significantly improved public trust in the police. This breakdown means citizens are unwilling to share the very intelligence needed to prevent crime, fearing retaliation not just from criminals, but sometimes from the officers themselves.

Why the System is Failing

The ambitious Nyumba Kumi strategy, designed to shift policing from a culture of force to one of cooperation, is faltering under the weight of systemic problems. According to the NCRC report, persistent complaints of intimidation, extortion, and collusion with criminals by rogue officers have shattered public confidence. An Afrobarometer survey reinforces this, noting that only about a third of Kenyans trust the police.

This lack of faith is not unfounded. Several reports highlight the pervasiveness of police misconduct:

• A 2025 report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) identified the National Police Service (NPS) as the institution most prone to corruption.
• The 2025 Kenya Bribery Index found that 72% of Kenyans who interacted with police encountered a bribery situation.
• Offences committed by police officers rose by 3% in the 2024-2025 period, continuing an upward trend from the previous year.

This environment makes cooperation dangerous. Many Kenyans fear that reporting crimes could expose them to gangs who appear to be protected by corrupt officers, a sentiment echoed in the NCRC's findings.

Confusion and Mismanagement

Adding to the challenge is a fundamental confusion over the program's structure. The NCRC noted that many citizens still view Nyumba Kumi as a separate entity run by local administrators, rather than an integral part of the National Police Service's community policing strategy. This policy overlap has led to a duplication of efforts and a lack of clear direction.

Furthermore, civilians who volunteer for community policing committees have sometimes misused their positions, engaging in harassment and extortion, further eroding public trust. There is a clear need for better vetting, training, and resources for these community-level partners to ensure they are part of the solution, not the problem.

While the challenges are immense, the goal remains critical. As Vincent Opondo, a principal research officer at NCRC, noted, achieving success will require a multi-agency approach to tackle the systemic issues head-on. The path forward demands not just a change in policy, but a fundamental shift in the mindset and culture of the police service itself.