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FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0877
INFO IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NAIROBI 000350 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL SO KE PTER EAID
SUBJECT: Security Minister on Police Reform and Public Outreach 
 
REF: NAIROBI 2401; NAIROBI 2369 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Following up on the Ambassador's meetings with 
Minister of Security Saitoti, DCM Lee Brudvig met with the minister 
on February 3 to discuss his request for assistance with police 
reform efforts.  In addition to presenting a list of requests for 
his ministry (ranging from additional police vehicles to guns to 
development assistance), Saitoti emphasized first and foremost his 
desire to have the United States assist his efforts to improve 
public perception of his ministry.  The DCM emphasized that any 
public relations strategy must be built on genuine reform, and 
offered continued assistance in implementation of the reform agenda 
alongside assistance with PR strategy.  The DCM presented an 
opportunity for a member of Kenya's security services to attend the 
FBI's National Academy (FBINA) and reiterated our longstanding 
offer to embed an FBI officer within Kenyan Police Services 
Anti-Terrorism Unit.  Saitoti's stated desire to improve the image 
of his ministry, combined with his presidential ambitions, provide 
an opportunity to further advance our interests in the security 
sector, linking our support for improving public relations to 
genuine reform in areas of internal and external oversight, 
community policing, and rule of law.  End summary. 
 
 
 
MINISTER WANTS TO REVAMP POLICE IMAGE 
 
 
 
¶2. On February 3, Minister of State for Provincial Administration 
and Internal Security George Saitoti and Permanent Secretary 
Francis Kimemia met with DCM Lee Brudvig to discuss Saitoti's 
request for assistance in improving the public perception of the 
ministry of internal security.  Minister Saitoti began the meeting 
by referencing the report of the National Task Force on Police 
Reform (NTFPR) (see ref B), stressing the need to improve 
accountability, and asserting that recommendations from the NTFPR 
were being implemented.  However, he stressed several times his 
primary interest in U.S. assistance was in the area of improving 
the police's public relations outreach and strategy. 
 
 
 
¶3. When asked by the DCM how the security services were viewed, 
Saitoti said he was "trying to reform police that don't have a very 
good name."  He then highlighted several areas for potential 
reform, the first of which was changing police culture so that "the 
police are seen by the people as having a friendly role for them," 
thus ensuring people feel comfortable and safe reporting issues to 
the police.  He also discussed a need for more vehicles, both to 
better patrol the border with Somalia and to respond more quickly 
to crimes throughout Kenya.  As evidence of reform, Saitoti said he 
had changed the senior leadership within the police department, but 
conceded that the public still needed to see more change within the 
police system.  He stated that in order to conduct public 
diplomacy, he wanted to hire a PR firm, but would need money to do 
so.  He asked what the United States was willing to do to help, but 
said he did not want the United States to be seen as being "in the 
driver's seat" on police reform. 
 
 
 
¶4. The DCM referenced Ambassador Ranneberger's efforts to reach out 
to Kenyan youth, and spoke of the importance of both youth and 
rural populations, arguing that genuine reform and public outreach 
are matters of "political necessity."  Saitoti commended Ambassador 
Ranneberger for "his excellent work that we much appreciate." He 
noted that he is also working with other ministries on development 
strategies, most notably a food security strategy.  He said that he 
has appropriated a large amount of money to fast-track 
organizational and legislative reforms but needs help in 
implementing programs and building capacity, something he said he 
cannot do without external assistance and advice.  He noted that he 
also plans to approach other donors.  In response, the DCM noted 
our willingness to assist, but stressed that Kenyan authorities 
must come up with compelling messages derived from real actions. 
 
 
 
COUNTER-TERRORISM CCOORDINATION 
 
NAIROBI 00000350  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶5. The DCM suggested two specific "confidence building" partnership 
initiatives: (1) Offering an opportunity for a senior member of the 
Kenyan security services to attend the FBI's National Academy 
(FBINA) training in Quantico, and/or (2) Embedding an FBI officer 
within the Kenyan security services in order to facilitate capacity 
building and intelligence sharing, focusing on counter terrorism. 
Saitoti thanked the DCM for the offers, and said he was "quite 
happy" to have someone attend FBINA.  Regarding the offer of an 
embedded FBI officer, Saitoti said that anti-terrorism efforts in 
Kenya lack sophistication and capacity, but that he saw the 
embedded FBI officer as a way of formalizing initial steps that had 
already been taken by GOK and the United States.  The permanent 
secretary then reminded Saitoti of existing United States programs 
supporting internal security, and both he and Saitoti repeated 
their request for more financial assistance, especially with regard 
to border security. 
 
 
 
OTHER REQUESTS 
 
 
 
¶6. Kimemia and Saitoti requested additional funding for (1) 
disaster management, especially with regard to training; (2) crime 
scene management; (3) community policing, especially with regard to 
cattle rustling in the Northern provinces; and (4) overall economic 
development as a means to offer economic alternatives to youth. 
Regarding community policing, the permanent secretary said it is an 
effective model for Kenya, citing detection of third country 
nationals illegally present in Kenya and drug trafficking concerns 
as areas where community policing could be especially effective. 
Saitoti said he was very happy with progress regarding community 
policing, but then returned to broader development goals, saying 
"We give you a broad menu, because as Americans you have a broad 
capacity for it."  He then referenced Undersecretary Otero's 
emphasis on youth development, and said microfinance for youth was 
an effective program and asked for more partnership from the United 
States in that area.  Finally, the permanent secretary also asked 
the DCM if the United States would donate firearms to the security 
services. 
 
 
 
NEXT STEPS 
 
 
 
¶7. The DCM offered to discuss these issues with both the Public 
Diplomacy section and Military Information Support Team and bring 
them to a future meeting to be held soon, along with legal, 
military, and security advisors.  (Note: Post hopes to include the 
members of the upcoming INL law enforcement sector assessment team 
in these discussions.)  Additionally, the DCM said he would 
communicate with the permanent secretary to arrange a meeting with 
a broad range of Embassy representatives to brainstorm, and LEGATT 
would reach out to the permanent secretary regarding FBI officer 
embedding and FBINA. 
 
 
 
COMMENT 
 
 
 
¶8. Saitoti clearly wants to work more closely with the United 
States in an effort to get out front on police reform and ride the 
wake of our successful outreach efforts, but to do so in a discreet 
way that allows him to distinguish himself and his ministry.   He 
continues to express support for the reform agenda, but it remains 
to be seen the extent to which he seeks genuine reform.  Saitoti 
has made it clear that he harbors presidential ambitions for 2012. 
However, his ministry is viewed as one of most corrupt in Kenya, 
and he recognizes that he must be perceived as a reformer in order 
to mount a viable candidacy.  He also recognizes that he cannot 
achieve his objectives without our support and perceives the United 
States as an essential partner.   This opens a window of 
opportunity for us to advance our security and development 
objectives, insisting on a "quid pro quo" approach where ramping up 
of our efforts is married to - and contingent upon - progress on 
reform in areas of special interest, such as community policing, 
implementation of internal affairs and oversight mechanisms, and 
training regarding basic police skills and professionalism, police 
ethics, codes of conduct, and use of force policies (see ref A). 
 
 
 
¶9. We are encouraged by Saitoti's commitment to community policing 
 
NAIROBI 00000350  003 OF 003 
 
 
and see this as an obvious area of overlap between his objectives 
and ours.  Saitoti has also expressed support for increased 
training and oversight as a means to improve the security services' 
image.  We remain convinced that establishing effective internal 
and external police oversight mechanisms is absolutely essential to 
real police reform, and will continue to urge Saitoti and the 
newly-appointed members of the Police Reform Implementation 
Commission to tackle difficult issues like police corruption and 
excessive use of force.  Post respectfully reiterates its request 
for additional funding (see ref A) to support essential reforms 
within the police and security services.  End comment. 
RANNEBERGER