Joseph Nkaissery and Joseph Boinnet must listen to officers

Cases of police officers killing their colleagues are not new in Kenya. However, the question we must ask ourselves is why an officer would open fire on fellow officers.

In the Kepenguria case, it was reported that the officer who killed seven colleagues had asked for transfer but was denied.

May be it is high time Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery,  police chief Joseph Boinnet and his commanders changed tack. Instead of threatening officers whenever they speak about security issues, they should learn to listen to their concerns and accommodate their views. Talking tough alone does not help without a human touch. People do not care much about the powers you wield until you show them how much you care.

Also, the idea that junior officers must always respect orders must be re-looked. It would have been necessary for senior officers to find out why the officer needed a transfer. May be this could have saved lives.

Forums must be created where police officers can freely express themselves about issues affecting them without victimisation. Things have since changed and the way police officers are managed must also change in this digital era.

There is need also to improve communication channels to avoid the misunderstandings that have rocked the system. However, this does not mean we entertain rogue officers in the service.