Kisumu police commander transferred after shooting of protester

Thousands of protestors throng Jomo Kenyatta highway in Kisumu city during anti-IEBC protests on May 23,2016. A number of protestors were injured during the confrontation with police. (Photo:Denish Ochieng/Standard)

Kisumu County police commander Nelson Mugweru Njiri has been promoted and moved after an anti-IEBC protester was shot dead in the recent protests.

Njiri was moved to the Kenya Airports Authority as the General Manager, security to replace Eric Kiraithe who was recently named the Government Spokesman.

Police shot dead a protester in the demos but denied he had died out of shooting, saying he fell after being hit by a blunt object.

The denials were rubbished by an autopsy report that showed Fredrick Otieno died after being shot.

The report showed one bullet entered Otieno’s body through the upper left arm, ripped through his thorax, tore vital blood vessels, collapsed his lung and stopped in his upper right arm.

The May 23 incident prompted calls for action on those responsible including the police commanders.

In the changes announced by police headquarters, Mwea East Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Titus Yoma was promoted and named the Kisumu County Commander while Athi River OCPD Kizito Mutoro was transferred to Mwea East in the same capacity.

The new Athi River OCPD is Sharma Boy while Aron Moriasi was moved from Ijara to Samia as the division boss.

More changes are expected in the coming days ahead of the 2017 general elections although Police headquarters claim the changes had been made earlier before the Kisumu shooting incident.