25 police officers awarded for bravery, price includes money and sufuria

NAIROBI, KENYA: A police officer who was shot dead while ending a siege at Kapenguria police station was among 25 police officers who were awarded for their bravery work that ensured security of the country.

General Service Unit's Recce officer- Dennis Momanyi- who was killed by a rogue and radicalised officer at the Kapenguria Police station on July 14, 2016 was posthumously awarded with a bravery award at a ceremony in Nairobi.

The rogue officer had killed six of his colleagues before he was taken down.

The awards which included a certificate, a token of Sh15, 000 and a set of sufurias were given out by the Manu Chandaria Foundation.

The other officer was constable Bernard Kiliru who in October 27, 2016 killed a man authorities termed as a terror suspect outside the US embassy in Nairobi. The suspect had attacked the officer by stabbing him before he was overpowered and killed. The suspect had also tried to grab the officer's gun.

The officers have according to Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet and Dr Manu Chandaria gone beyond the ordinary call of duty to register extra ordinary achievements.

"Every single day around our country the police go out of their way to provide safety to the citizens and their properties though this is at times assumed to be simply what they should be doing," said Boinnet.

Chandaria said the move was a moment to remember all officers who have been injured in past year in line of duty or lost their lives to protect the lives and property of Kenyans.

Inspector John Odhiambo was rewarded after he led his colleagues in recovering six AK47 rifles, one machine gun, 21 AK 47 magazines, 501 bullets, five IEDs and two speed boats and killed three suspects arresting seven others within Boni Forest, Lamu County.

Constable Humphrey Towett had on November 10, 2016 saved a woman who was being raped within Uhuru Park and was also rewarded while Maurice Wafula , Boniface Gichobi and Alex Njenga were recognised after they survived an attack in Mandera on June 20, 2016 in which five officers were killed.

Three officers- Samuel Njeru, Joseph Maina and Abdi Hapii were rewarded following the recovery of three AK47 rifle with 103 bullets in an ambush in Wajir on December 1, 2016.

Inspector Ahmed Abdullah and Anthony Masinde were rewarded after they on November 19, 2016 recovered 90 bullets, five mobile phones, three containers gun oil and assorted military uniforms from terror suspects in Kobolo, Falana, Wajir.

Others rewarded included Inspector Bernard Kiptoo, Daniel Muraguri, Eliud Kipchumba, Nicholas Onyango, Ibrahim Kinya, Kennedy Odhiambo, Martin Riungu, Abdala Doyo of APS and Peter Muthee, Samson Nderitu, Simon Achesa, Willy Chepkonga and Kennedy Muriuki of DCI.