Lamu police transfers spark ethnic vibe among leaders and activists

Lamu, Kenya: Lamu County leaders and Coast based civil societies have taken issue with the region’s security committee and organs following the recent changes in the police command structure.

Some leaders supported the changes and accused critics of creating unnecessary politics in a volatile area, but civil society groups, led by Muslims for Human Rights and Haki Africa claim the local county security committee is dominated by officers from a certain tribe and the appointments flout the Constitution.

Critics claim the recent changes are tribal, since all those transferred were replaced with officers from one ethnic group against the requirements of the Constitution in an ethnically diverse region, which is still recovering from bloody violence in which more than 100 people were killed between June and July.

Haki Africa is now demanding that officers from rival tribes should not be posted to head security organs in the region.

But police spokesman Masoud Mwinyi defended the changes, saying all the recently posted officers or the ones currently in office are competent Kenyans and should not be judged only on tribal grounds.

“These are professionals who have taken an oath to serve all Kenyans without bias,” Mwinyi told The Standard on Sunday on phone adding,.

“Although the police headquarters has not received any criticism since the appointments, it is ready to listen and address any concerns”.

In the latest transfers, Lamu East Police boss Samuel Obara and his Lamu West counterpart Amos Cheboi were moved to police headquarters in Nairobi.

One tribe

Obara has been replaced by Nyagah Kioi, while Julius Kimani replaced Cheboi. After the first attacks in Mpeketoni in June, the Government posted Ephantus Tiura to replace county Police Commander Leonard Omondi.

County Commissioner Stephen Ikua was also replaced by Njenga Miiri following the attacks that also hit Hindi in Lamu and Gamba in Tana River counties.

However, Lamu County Member of Parliament Shakilla Abdalla has questioned the replacements of the senior government officers, who she claimed come from one ethnic group.

“Lamu is a cosmopolitan region. We do not understand why police officers are replaced with people from one tribe. Unless it is being done deliberately, we do not think it represents the face of Kenya,” said Abdalla.

 

She said the trend would not encourage peace and cohesion, but would rather ‘create a feeling that some communities are being protected while others are oppressed’.

“The national government should make these transfers and replacements inclusive,” she said.

She asked why Omondi was allegedly interdicted while Ikua was transferred, although the latter headed the county security committee prior to the violence.

Volatile area

Lamu West politician and Democratic Party of Kenya acting national chairman Rishad Amana claimed there was open tribalism in the handling of security affairs in the region. “The deployment of senior police officers is being done on tribal basis and we are urging the Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo to stop this trend,” Amana said.

But Lamu East MP Athman Sharif Ali said there was no ill motive in the police department, saying the security officers should be accorded respect and left to take appropriate measures to restore peace and security within the region.

“I do not see any ill motive in the transfers and replacements. The duty of the police is to maintain law and order and I welcome any measures to achieve this. I urge the newly posted officers to do their work diligently,” Ali said.

Lamu West MP Julius Ndegwa said it was impractical to politicise the police service since it has its own ways of enforcing law and order.

“I urge leaders to stop interfering with the work of the police,” Ndegwa said.

Haki Africa said it is concerned about the appointments, saying through its Executive Director Hussein Khalid that ‘while appreciating the need for professionalism in the police service, we are left to wonder whether such professionalism is only exhibited by persons from specific ethnic communities’.

Hussein said domination of the security organs by one tribe cannot foster harmony in the volatile area.

“The situation is worsened by the fact that one of the communities do not augur well with others. One would imagine that with such a precarious situation, the Government would appoint security officials from different communities other than those currently in the county,” said Khalid.

He says Haki Africa is now calling on the Government to address this concern and post neutral and impartial officers.

“It is our humble opinion that all postings should be of persons from other communities. This would build trust of state offices and promote partnership between state and non-state entities. As a country, even though we want to end ethnicity, we cannot run away from the fact that it is very real and felt on the ground,” Khalid said.