A sensitization meeting for senior police commanders was held on 27th April 2022 at Acacia Hotel, Kisumu, bringing together 25 officers drawn from the ranks of Regional Police Commanders (RPCs), County Commanders (CCs), Sub-County Commanders, and Ward Commanders. The session was supported by CIHEB-Kenya, JINSIANGU, and KASH, and moderated by Dr. Biketi Kituyi, Senior Technical Advisor, CIHEB-Kenya.
The main objectives were to:
- Create awareness among police commanders about the current HIV situation and the “triple threat” of HIV, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Mental Health (MH).
- Update participants on ongoing HIV mainstreaming programs within the National Police Service (NPS) and the Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework (KASF II).
- Clarify the role of commanders in coordination, resource mobilization, and networking to strengthen comprehensive HIV, GBV, and MH implementation, including harm reduction initiatives.
Opening Remarks
The meeting began with a welcome address from CASCO Kisumu, Ms. Eunice Kinywa, who underscored the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to achieve HIV epidemic control. She emphasized that effective programming requires understanding different perspectives and fostering partnerships across HIV, GBV, and MH sectors.
Dr. Anita Bisera, CIHEB-K Program Director, gave an overview of CIHEB’s work in Kenya, highlighting its collaboration with the NPS through entry meetings, HR support, healthcare worker capacity building, mentorship, and EMR scale-up initiatives.
Ms. Rahab Slamanda, KPS ACU Coordinator, explained the role of the AIDS Control Unit (ACU), established in 2004 to provide HIV and TB services to police officers and sensitize them on GBV. She urged senior officers to cascade HIV-related information to junior officers to enhance national epidemic control.
Regional Police Commander Mr. Muiruri Karanja officially opened the meeting, acknowledging that HIV, GBV, and mental health issues negatively impact police officers’ performance and, by extension, national security. He reiterated NPS’s commitment to supporting HIV programs through the ACU but noted persistent self-stigma and mental health challenges affecting over 2,000 officers. He called for stronger enforcement of GBV laws and concerted stakeholder efforts to improve officers’ wellbeing.
HIV Context and Triple Threat
NACC Regional Coordinator Mr. Edwin Lwanya presented the national HIV situation, focusing on the “triple threat” of HIV infections, GBV, and teenage pregnancies. Kenya’s priorities include reducing new infections by 75%, HIV-related deaths by 25%, and stigma by 50%, while increasing local funding.
Despite progress, challenges remain: the national HIV prevalence is 4.3%, with 42% of new infections occurring among adolescents and young women. Teenage pregnancy rates remain high, especially in Homa Bay County (33%), driven by early marriages, poverty, drug use, and limited reproductive health information. GBV cases, particularly among 12–17-year-olds, have surged, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Lwanya emphasized honest dialogue around sexuality and collaborative efforts to end GBV by 2026.
HIV Programming in NPS
ACU Program Officer Ms. Agnes Irungu elaborated on the ACU’s mandate to integrate HIV prevention, care, and treatment within the police service. The NPS, due to occupational exposure, separation from families, and work stress, is classified among Key and Priority Populations vulnerable to HIV.
ACU’s activities include harm reduction, mental health awareness, and alcohol and drug abuse interventions. She stressed that officers should not face discrimination based on HIV status and called for comprehensive care access. Challenges include limited resources, staff turnover, lack of dedicated funding, and persistent stigma. Priority areas include strengthening ACU committees, developing health policy guidelines, integrating harm reduction into police training, and empowering ACU to receive donor funds.
Resource Mobilization and Financial Management
KPS Assistant Secretary Mr. Stephen Mbasu outlined HIV program financing within NPS. The initiative is integrated into performance contracts and strategic plans, with an annual allocation of KES 2.8 million, mostly for procurement of opportunistic infection drugs.
He emphasized the need for institutionalization of HIV programs, promotion of universal health coverage (UHC), mental health screening, and condom distribution. Major challenges include insufficient funding, limited representation in budget forums, and declining donor support. He proposed improved collaboration, evidence-based budgeting, and integration of HIV services into NHIF.
Substance Abuse and Harm Reduction
NACADA Regional Officer Ms. Esther Okenye presented findings from national drug-use surveys, showing that Nyanza region has higher prevalence rates of alcohol and cannabis use compared to national averages. About 23.4% of secondary school students report substance abuse. She urged closer collaboration with police to monitor hotspots, enforce licensing laws, and address school-based drug use.
Dr. Jebet Boit, NASCOP Deputy Director for Key Populations, discussed harm reduction as a public health approach targeting drug users unwilling or unable to quit. She outlined the harm reduction package — including needle and syringe exchange, methadone-assisted therapy (MAT), HIV testing, ART, STI treatment, condom distribution, hepatitis and TB services, and overdose management. She highlighted evidence that investing even 2.5% of global drug control budgets in harm reduction could avert up to 65% of HIV-related deaths and 78% of infections.
Transgender Health and Rights
JINSIANGU Program Manager Ms. Gigi Louisa spoke on improving healthcare for transgender persons. She noted that transgender and gender non-conforming individuals face high HIV prevalence (up to 39% in Kenya) and extreme levels of discrimination, including violence, housing insecurity, and police harassment. She called for policies addressing these injustices and training law enforcement officers on gender diversity and rights-based HIV programming.
Legal Perspectives
Legal officers Mr. Stephen Oguna (KASH) and Ms. Sella Onjala (CIHEB) explained the constitutional obligation of police officers to protect human rights. They discussed the role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and diversion in reducing court congestion and promoting rehabilitation, except for sexual offences which cannot be handled through ADR. They also recommended non-custodial sentences, community service orders, and lenient bail terms to decongest facilities and improve rehabilitation outcomes for minor offenders.
Plenary Discussions and Way Forward
Participants deliberated on ADR’s applicability within police stations, emphasizing that while it may risk perceptions of compromise, it remains a valuable conflict-resolution tool when applied transparently. On transgender issues, participants explored cultural perceptions, distinguishing transgender identity from intersex conditions and dismissing misconceptions about parenting or morality. The session reaffirmed that gender diversity has long existed in African societies and called for inclusive policies within the criminal justice system.
Regarding HIV, officers questioned infection origins and accuracy of statistics. Facilitators clarified that HIV is globally documented, with variations in regional prevalence due to cultural and behavioral factors. The meeting cited Thailand’s example, where policy reforms and regulated sex work have significantly curbed HIV spread, as a potential learning model for Kenya.
The meeting concluded with key recommendations:
- Continuous training of police officers on HIV, GBV, mental health, and harm reduction.
- Strengthening collaboration between law enforcement and health workers to link clients to care.
- Empowering existing police champions to drive HIV and GBV awareness.
- Policy reforms to address stigma, discrimination, and gender inclusion in policing.
The session ended at 4:45 p.m. with closing remarks from County Police Commander Mr. Frank Kooli, who appreciated the partners’ contributions and reiterated the NPS’s commitment to promoting the health and wellbeing of all officers.
