Are these the envisaged Police Reforms? INSPECTOR General of Police David Kimaiyo reshuffled 17 senior police officers yesterday in what insiders claimed was aimed at consolidating his power base and loyalty within the service. Hours after the signal was released, discontent was palpable within police rank and file, with some officers accusing Kimaiyo of concentrating power in the hands of a select few from one community. The reshuffle of the top ranking officers released through a circular yesterday has now put the police boss in the spotlight over the management of the police service with allegations that promotions and posting skewed to favour a particular community. The officials who sought anonymity said the latest appointments put five out of the eight directorates under the command of individuals from one community. Yesterday’s appointments place David Birech in charge of Training at the Operations Directorate with other heads of directorates being Kipchanga Kitoo (Personnel), Stephen Chelimo (Inspections), Jonathan Koskei (Reforms), Samuel Kimaru (Traffic ) and Stephen Kimei (Procurement). “It is only Phillip Mwakio (Operations), Leo Nyongesa (Internal Affairs Unit and Communication) and Beatrice Nduta from Gender and Community Policing who have been left to represent the rest of the communities in the country,” said a disgruntled officer. Police officers who spoke to The People on condition of anonymity urged the National Assembly and the government to speed up the much anticipated police reforms, particularly, the vetting exercise. “We have been waiting for the vetting exercise which some powerful forces at Harambee, Vigilance and Jogoo houses have remained opposed to. Unless the vetting exercise is conducted, to place people where they are suitable, Kenyans should not expect much on the spiralling cases of insecurity,” one senior officer at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said yesterday. In the reshuffle, the Logistics director at the police headquarters Julius Kibaara Kanampiu has been moved to the Inspector General’s office while his training counterpart Charles Mumanthi Kyalo goes to the Kenya Police College in a direct swap with Birech. Former Police Spokesman Charles Owino was eventually demoted and appointed the Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Njoro. Owino was earlier this year caught up in a supremacy tussle between Kimaiyo and the National Police Service Commission chairman Johnstone Kavuludi, when he was appointed the director of the envisaged Internal Audit office. Kimaiyo opposed the appointment, prompting the Kavuludi team to rescind it. The position later went to former North Eastern Province Leo Nyongesa. The Chief Armourer at the police headquarters Joel Kitili is the new Rift Valley Regional Co-ordinator. He has swapped places with Elias Oduori. Starehe OCPD Samuel Kanampiu has been transferred to Kipkelion in the same capacity, replacing Barasa Wabomba. Who takes over as the Starehe police boss. Both Kiambu OCPD Moses Lubisia and his Nandi South counterpart Francis Gacii have been transferred to the Directorate of Operations at the police headquarters. Gacii has been replaced by Patrick Macharia from the Directorate of Operations. Other changes include Tom Okoth (deputy OCPD Mombasa), Amos Owang (Logistics), Smollets Munyianzi (Ndhiwa), and Joseph Ruku (West Pokot) The appointed officers are to report to their new stations by November 8 to ensure proper handing over is done according to Deputy Inspector General Grace Kaindi.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 08:37:49 +0000
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