Police shuffled amid rising crime

By Cyrus Ombati

A reshuffle in the police force has seen more than 600 officers transferred from Nairobi.

The move is aimed at combating spiralling crime in the city, and restoring investors’ confidence.

A similar number of officers have been moved from Mungiki-prone areas in Central and Rift Valley provinces in the changes effected by Police Commissioner Maj-Gen Hussein Ali.

Most of the affected officers are junior, but sources said transfers for the seniors are on the way and a good number may be promoted or retired.

Those moved from Nairobi reported to their new stations at the weekend, and the new ones have taken charge in the city.

Similar changes affecting the Administration Police are in the offing, according to senior commanders.

The transfers have however, drawn outrage from the affected officers, who accuse their bosses of being insensitive for moving them during the middle of the school term.

Officers’ concerns

"Some of us had paid school fees for our children and other programmes. The transfers affect the children’s performance and ours," an officer told The Standard.

And although police headquarters said the changes were routine, insiders said they were effected following a request from commanders attending a meeting over the Mungiki menace, and other security issues.

Yesterday, Police Spokesman Eric Kiraithe termed the changes normal, saying the affected officers had overstayed at their stations.

"Even the affected officers know the changes come at least once a year and mostly affect those who have overstayed at a particular area," he said.

But sources said police commanders who met early this month, recommended the transfers, claiming some junior officers were abetting crime.

Mungiki menace

They argued some officers had overstayed in their stations and were even aiding Mungiki and other gangs.

Other insiders said the transfers were triggered by the recent graduation of more than 1,000 recruits from Kiganjo Police College.

Radical changes are also in the offing for regular and Administration police when the taskforce on police reforms present its recommendations.

The National Taskforce on Police Reforms is seeking public views on how the force should operate. The team is sitting at Bruce House, Nairobi.