Senior police officers accused of renting staff houses to civilians

On Wednesday last week, a number police officers living at East Capital did not report to their working stations. They were protesting at insecurity, corruption, and lack of water in their apartments along Kangundo Road.

The National Police Service apartments that cost the State more than Sh2 billion were bought to ease the housing crisis in the police service.

Late last year some of the officers said some senior officers were displacing constables and renting out the houses to civilians and even allowing illegal businesses in the expansive compound, which has led to deteriorating security and several theft cases.

Following the outcry, some of the senior officers in charge of the apartments were transferred, but they have since returned, prompting the latest protest.

“We were happy when the changes were made, but it did not last. One of the officers who was transferred is now back. The changes were just meant to fool the public and the top bosses,” said an Administration police constable based at the sub-county headquarters.

“We buy water like everyone else here. Some senior officers deliberately tamper with the pump and collude with water vendors, who sell a 20-litre jerrycan for Sh25,” another policeman who has lived in the flats for two years said.

The more than 300 units of three- and four-bedroom houses were to house more than 3,000 officers, both seniors and juniors, drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the national Intelligence Service, the National Police Service, and Administration police.

“If nothing is done things get turn ugly,” one policeman said. “Our bosses know we are suffering and our patience is running out.”