In another chilling case, a Mombasa-based taxi driver, Victoria Mumbua, vanished after accepting a ride request from Mombasa to Samburu on September 25, 2024. Her vehicle was later found 645 km away in Nakuru, leading to an urgent investigation. The police only responded after a taxi driver, Joseph Mburu, recognised the vehicle from a missing report in a local taxi WhatsApp group.
"I was carrying a customer and noticed that the car was similar to one that had been reported missing," Mburu recounted. "I asked the customer to help me check the number plates. After confirming, I pursued the vehicle and updated the police on its location as it took evasive actions to avoid detection."
Ultimately, police apprehended Edwin Ngetich Kipkemoi, who was found driving Mumbua's vehicle.
Despite his arrest, Mumbua's whereabouts remained a mystery until her body was identified at the Nairobi Funeral Home days later, confirming the tragic outcome of her abduction. During questioning, Ngetich confessed to having dumped Mumbua's body in a thicket along a road in Lari, Kiambu county.
An autopsy on Mumbua's body revealed that she had been struck multiple times with a blunt object before being strangled. Government pathologist Oduor, who conducted the postmortem, noted that signs of struggle indicated she had fought back fiercely against her assailant.
Months later in Kisumu, police are supposed to unravel another shocking murder. Willis Onyango Ayieko, a human resource manager at Wells Fargo, was reported missing after travelling from Nairobi to his rural home in Siaya to attend a close friend's mother's burial. His last known whereabouts were at a night vigil, and hours after attending, he was found dead in Mungowere stream in Siaya county.
Barbaric act
Aggrey Oduor, Aiyeko's elder brother, described the horrifying state of his brother's body when it was discovered - mutilated, with his breasts, mouth, nose, and ears cut off and his eyes gouged out. Yet another barbaric act raised questions about the escalating violence and the safety of individuals in society.
The body, discovered on October 23, was transported to Nairobi for preservation while investigations continue.
"Willis was a gentleman par excellence; he was apolitical, generally sociable, and a loving person who valued human relations," Edwin Ng'ong'a, Ayieko's nephew, told The Standard.
Maraga recommendations include fresh vetting for police officers and addressing the pervasive issues of corruption, incompetence, and inadequate leadership that have plagued the service.
"A significant percentage of slots in any recruitment process are allocated to the political elite, leaving only a few for merit selection," the report states.
Those joining through political influence maintain their positions by staying loyal, while merit-selected individuals often grant favours to police bosses.
"Ethnic diversity is a key issue, with data showing eight communities representing 81.05 per cent of police officers," the report states.
The task force calls for fresh vetting for police officers, noting that conditions worsened after the Security Laws (Miscellaneous Amendment) Act of 2014 was passed, eliminating provisions for open recruitment of the Inspector General and Deputy Inspectors General.
The Maraga report details how the amended law undermined police reforms, leaving the police led by incompetent individuals micromanaged by Cabinet Secretaries.
"The task force notes that ethnic diversity is a key issue, with NCIC data showing eight communities representing 81.05% of police officers," the report states, acknowledging cycles of exploitation that render the NPS a cesspool for abuse, despite solid recruitment procedures outlined in the Constitution.
Recruitment aims for geographical and ethnic diversity, but officer distribution remains skewed, reflecting historical injustices. The task force deemed the National Police Service (NPS) corrupt and incompetent, urging legislative reforms and new vetting to address challenges like underfunding and poor leadership in the NPS, National Youth Service, and Kenya Prisons Service.
Corruption undermines professionalism, making these services nearly dysfunctional, with "senior leadership disconnected from junior officers." Corrupt traffic officers facilitate drug trafficking through bribes, while technological limitations hinder vehicle and driver verification. A parallel command structure in the Traffic Police Unit allows bribery among senior NPS leadership.
The under-equipped Marine Police Unit struggles to manage coastal and inland waters. Maraga stated that failed reform attempts have left the NPS as the country's most corrupt institution, fostering impunity. Additionally, a lack of support systems for officers facing retirement or duty-related fatalities creates medical challenges for veterans.
The task force attributed police dysfunction to the poorly executed 2018 merger of the police service and security laws amendments under former President Kenyatta and CS Matiangi, which left Administration Police officers feeling subordinate and contributed to rising crime. The task force calls for a negotiated exit for the current National Police Service Commission leadership, whose actions have undermined the NPS's effectiveness.