DPP Noordin Haji Wants Kenyan Traffic Cops Given Body Cameras

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji wants Kenyan traffic police officers provided with body cameras. 

In a letter to Inspector-General of Police Hilary Mutyambai, Haji argues that the cameras will come in handy in investigations into cases of traffic violations. Haji made the proposal following uproar over traffic charges being pressed against excess passengers traveling in public service vehicles (PSVs) during the festive season.

In the letter, DPP Haji says excess passengers should first be asked to alight and can only be charged if they ignore the orders from a traffic cop, driver or conductor of the PSV.

“It will be in my view, difficult, to gather enough evidence to demonstrate that an excess passenger refused to comply with the order of a police officer or declined a request by the owner, conductor and/or driver not to enter the PSV. In most cases, it will be the word of the police officer against that of the passenger,” noted Haji in the letter.

“Further, to assist in maintaining law and order on the road, to reduce police excesses, to assist in case of violations, to support investigations and to mitigate any possible corruption, it may be prudent to consider providing officers assigned traffic duties with body cameras.”

He added: “Separately, note that prosecutors have been directed to exercise great caution while making the decision to charge. The same must meet the required evidential threshold test as well as the public interest test.”