Kenya plans to ban romantic relationships between police officers.

The move is aimed at reducing the high rate of crimes of passion among officers, the interior minister said at a televised ceremony taking place at a police college.

The regulations first need to be given the stamp of approval by the National Security Council, which oversees all the country’s security forces, Fred Matiang’i said.

In the military, relationships were already banned between officers of different ranks, he explained.

In the last few months, there had been increase in spousal murders among police officers, the minister said.

“We cannot look away any more and not address some of the challenges that we have in the security sector,” Mr Matiang’i said.

The gender relations office will also look into cases of s.e.xual harassment reported by female police officers.