Ex-Nairobi police boss Kibuchi dies after illness

Former Nairobi Provincial Police Officer (PPO) Anthony Kibuchi on Tuesday while receiving treatment at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital. [File]

Former Nairobi Provincial Police Officer (PPO) Anthony Kibuchi, a veteran law enforcement officer with a career spanning over three decades, passed away on Tuesday.

He died while receiving treatment at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, where he had been admitted for three weeks.

According to his daughter Catherine Nyawira Kibuchi, he succumbed to prostate cancer, which he had battled since 2018. He will be laid to rest on May 21 at his Kianugu village home in Mwea, Kirinyaga County.

Kibuchi joined the Kenya Police Service in 1985 as a Cadet Inspector and trained at the Kenya Police College, Kiganjo, later returning as Chief Instructor. He shaped the careers of many officers who now serve in leadership positions.

In 2006, he became Deputy PPO for Nyanza and was later promoted to PPO, serving during the 2007–2008 post-election violence.

He was then posted to North Eastern Province during a period of increased insecurity.

In 2009, Kibuchi was appointed PPO for Nairobi, where he tackled rising crime, gang activity and led controversial demolitions in Syokimau, Eastleigh, and Embakasi, defending vulnerable homeowners. He also led responses to Al-Shabaab terror threats in 2011–2012.

His tenure was not without controversy. In 2012, former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga accused him of disregarding a court order halting demolitions.

Kibuchi denied the claim, sought an apology, and threatened legal action, insisting he had not been served the order.

Kibuchi retired in November 2012 and later became Chairman of the Kirinyaga County Community Policing Initiative, championing the Nyumba Kumi programme. He also led the National Association of Retired Police Officers Kenya, advocating for retired officers’ welfare and policing reforms.

He is remembered as a pragmatic, principled leader. “He supported many in our area and never forgot his roots,” said Richard Mwangi, a family friend. He also played a key role in President Kibaki’s 2002 inauguration, ensuring former President Moi accessed Uhuru Park amid large crowds.