Every constituency to have a police division in changes

The Inspector-General of Police (IG) Hilary Mutyambai has created 702 new police stations across the country.

In a gazette notice dated February 14, the IG upgraded a number of police posts and Administration Police camps into fully fledged police stations.

Each of the country's 1,520 wards will now have a police station under ward commanders formerly known as Officer Commanding Station.

In the changes, 24 police posts in Nairobi, mostly in densely populated areas, were upgraded to police stations.

They include Kahawa West, Eastleigh, California, Mombasa Road, Akila, Kibra, Jamhuri, Korogocho, Mowlem, Kangemi and Ngara. Others are South B, Kware, Mihang’o, Obama, Lucky Summer, Njathaini, Sunton, Lunga Lunga, Waithaka and Mathare.

Homa Bay has 21 additional police stations, Mandera and Kisumu both have 14, Garissa, Taita Taveta and Mombasa have 11 each, while Lamu has 10 and Kwale eight.

Already, 24,000 Administration Police Service (APS) officers have joined the Kenya Police Service as part of efforts to revamp security operations.

The officers will now be under sub-county police commanders commonly referred to as Officer Commanding Police Division.

The affected officers have been directed to return their jungle uniforms to their respective commanders to be issued the new blue police uniform. 

The changes affect more than 3,600 chiefs’ camps across the country.

Already, all APS camps at chiefs’ offices and those not near police stations are being transformed into police posts following President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive on September 13, last year to merge police units. 

The camps will have holding cells and will handle all types of crimes. Most of the APS who remained will be in charge of Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit.

The unit is mandated to protect electricity installations, banks, government buildings and installations and other critical infrastructure and services.

The Anti Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) has been moved to APS, which now has four units: the ASTU, Rapid Deployment (RDU), Border Patrol and Critical Infrastructure and Security of Government Buildings.

All specialised unit officers will be issued with new combat uniform similar to the one used by the General Service Unit while general duty officers will have the new blue uniforms.

The APS will now take charge of 22 border posts on the Kenya-Somalia main border while the RDU will have offices in all counties.

“We have established more than 20 new strategic operational bases along our borders and provided advanced tactical response equipment to enable them be more impactful in their responses,” said Administration Police Service Commander Noor Gabow.

At the same time, most of the 3,200 leased police vehicles will be available for patrols following a presidential directive to reduce wastage. The vehicles will now be under the command of sub-county police commanders.