200 top officers climb ranks as shuffle looms
The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has promoted more than 200 senior police officers in a move that is expected to lead to a massive reshuffle of the officers ahead of the August 9 General Election.
The Edward Kinuthia-led Commission has promoted more than 10 senior officers to the rank of Senior Assistant Inspector of Police (SIAIG), 40 to Assistant Inspector of Police (AIG), and more than 60 to Commissioner of Police (CP) while several others were elevated to Senior Superintendent of Police.
And for the first time since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution that gave birth to the new ranking system in the police service, ten senior officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have been promoted to AIG.
James Mugera, who has been acting as the Nairobi Regional Police boss, has been elevated to AIG and confirmed as the region’s police chief, replacing Augustine Nthumbi, who was moved to Vigilance House following the bungled police operations at the Mukuru Kwa Njenga slums last December.
Training school
Mugera takes charge of Nairobi, which has been identified as one of the hotspots for possible election violence.
Other promoted officers include Rose Kuraru and Jacinta Muthoni (SAIG), Police Spokesman Bruno Shioso, DCI Head of Crime Intelligence and Research Bureau (CRIB) Paul Mumo, Coast Regional DCI head Bernard Barasa Walumoli, Central Region Police boss Manasseh Musyoka, DCI Head of Railways Simoni Mwangi Wanderi and Head of ballistics at the DCI Johnstone Mwongera.
Nairobi Area DCI boss Paul Wachira and Amos Omuga of DCI Training school were upgraded to AIG.
Other beneficiaries are Rift Valley Regional police commander Tom Odero, his North Eastern counterpart George Seda, Lazarus Opicho of Judicial Police Unit, Head of Reforms at DCI Eliud Langat, Deputy Director of Forensics Margaret Karanja and Ziporah Mboroki of DCI Academy.
Nakuru gangs
Others who have been promoted to Commissioners of Police are Head of the Special Services Unit Pius Gitari, Narok CCIO Mwenda Ethaiba and Peter Mwanzo, formerly Kasarani OCPD, who has been moved to Nakuru County to crack down on the spiralling crime.
Also of the same rank are Deputy Head of Operations at DCI headquarters Samuel Bett, Head of Fichua Uhalifu David Chebii, Kinoti’s Personal Assistant Lawrence Some and David Wafula of Child Protection Unit.
On Wednesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the government is planning to make several redeployments in the security sector to beef up security in the countdown to the elections.
“We shall deploy unprecedented fire and force on Nakuru gangs. Let no one come to lecture me on human rights. Where were you when people were being killed? We will not surrender any part of our lives. Anyone who is supporting them, harbouring them, financing them will be treated as part of the criminals,” Matiang’i said in a reference to the rising insecurity in the county.
