NAIROBI, Kenya, July 23 – Kenyans will soon receive Police Clearance Certificates within 24 hours, down from the current waiting period of up to two weeks, following the rollout of a new multi-biometric identification system designed to modernise policing and accelerate criminal investigations.Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the launch of the Multi-Biometric Identification System (MBIS–ABIS Version 5) marks a major shift from traditional policing to a technology-driven justice system capable of delivering faster, more efficient and reliable public services.Speaking during the handover of the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) certificate to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ (DCI) Forensic Evidence Management Unit (FEMU) at DCI headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday, Murkomen said the reforms will improve service delivery while strengthening criminal investigations.“The turnaround time for processing police clearance certificates, which previously took up to 14 days or more, will now be reduced to just 24 hours,” he said.Murkomen said the upgraded biometric platform expands Kenya’s fingerprint database capacity from two million to 10 million records while increasing daily fingerprint search capacity from 4,500 to 20,000, significantly enhancing investigators’ ability to verify identities and solve crimes.He added that the government plans to integrate the system with the National Registration Bureau, the Judiciary, the Immigration Department and INTERPOL through legislative and policy reforms to facilitate real-time identity verification, intelligence sharing and cross-border crime detection.“We will also be rolling out biometric enrolment to police stations nationwide so investigations can move faster and services reach people closer to home,” he said.The Cabinet Secretary also hailed Kenya for becoming the first country in Africa to secure international accreditation for its Forensic Evidence Management Unit, describing the achievement as a milestone that places the country among global leaders in forensic science.He said the accreditation confirms that Kenya’s handling of forensic evidence now meets internationally recognised standards, ensuring evidence is collected, preserved and presented in court in a manner that strengthens prosecutions and enhances public confidence in the justice system.“This accreditation means our chain of custody for evidence now meets international standards. Evidence will be collected, stored and presented properly, which means stronger prosecutions and more convictions from our courts,” Murkomen said.He added that the recognition sends a clear warning to criminals that Kenya’s investigative capabilities have significantly advanced.“It positions Kenya as a regional leader in forensic science and sends a strong message to criminals: our investigative capabilities are stronger and our justice system is increasingly equipped to hold offenders accountable,” he said.Murkomen said the reforms form part of the government’s broader security sector modernisation agenda under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), noting that investment in science, technology and institutional reforms is essential to addressing emerging security threats.He said concerns raised by members of the public during the government’s Jukwaa la Usalama forums—including delays in investigations, slow issuance of police clearance certificates and poor management of forensic evidence—helped shape the reforms.The Interior CS further revealed that the government is pursuing similar international accreditation for the DCI’s Chemistry, Biology, Bomb Disposal, and Cyber and Digital Forensics units as part of efforts to professionalise Kenya’s investigative services.Murkomen said future policing reforms will be guided by technological innovation, professional excellence and citizen-centred service delivery as the government seeks to build a modern, accountable and science-based security system.