Kenyan Police Officers Warned Against Making TikTok Videos in Uniform

Kenyan police officers have been warned against making social media posts while wearing their uniforms.

Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai expressed concerns over a growing trend where officers shoot videos in police uniform and post them on social media sites, especially TikTok.

He warned that the practice was depicting the police service in a negative light, adding that it is against the service’s standing orders.

“This depicts the service and government at large negatively,” Mutyambai said in a signal dispatched to police chiefs countrywide.

This is not the first time the inspector-general is warning police officers against the use of social media. Last year, officers were warned against using social media to air their grievances.

“The Inspector-General has noted with a lot of concern that officers have developed a habit of using social media to advance their grievances without exhausting the laid down channels which include quality assurance/complaint and gender offices at service headquarters and the internal affairs unit,” Mutyambai said in a memo.

He said Chapter 24 section 55 of the Service Standing Order prohibits officers from transmitting information through social media unless they are on official business.

“Sharing information with the media whether verbally or otherwise must be done in accordance with the regulations. Serious disciplinary action will be taken against any police officers found abusing the use of social media and sharing information with the press without authority,” he added.