Commanders assume office amid uproar

By CYRUS OMBATI

Kenya: The newly appointed County Police Commanders took charge of their areas yesterday amid complaints of limited resources for their effective operations.

There was also confusion on the ranking of the commanders even as the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) said they would work on the issue among others.

“We have taken over the regions for now and we hope all will be smooth,” said one of the commanders.

The 141 commanders- 47 each from regular, Administration Police and CID took over in most counties in Coast, Central and Eastern Provinces after holding briefs with the outgoing Provincial Police Officers.

This follows an order by Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo that they take charge by Friday.

The officers need offices, vehicles and other resources to to start their work as regional commanders.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku prevailed upon the Commission to accept the appointments made by Mr Kimaiyo.

The Cabinet Secretar convened a meeting between the Commission chairman Johnstone Kavuludi and Kimaiyo before facing the media, but failed to answer pertinent issues raised in regard to the appointments.

The press conference turned to be an exchange between journalists on one side and the Cabinet Secretary, Kimaiyo and Kavuludi on the other side with the three failing to respond to key questions.

For instance, the officials did not satisfactorily answer the issue of whether officers who have been named County Commanders will serve on temporary or permanent basis.

Mr Lenku was hard pressed to clarify the ranks the officers would occupy and their titles when he insisted they were “just officers in charge of the counties” and not county commanders.