Kindiki orders transfer of all officers at Isebania Police Station after killing of 5 protesters
The government has transferred all police officers serving at Isebania Police Station in Migori after a wave of insecurity and protests that led to the killing of five people last week.
The decision was announced by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki during his visit to Migori on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.
Kindiki visited the county following the Tuesday attack at the Isebania Police Station where mobs armed with crude weapons raided the station demanding release of all suspects leading to confrontations with armed officers. Five people were killed and scores of civilians and police officers injured during the incident.
The CS said the government had taken the decision to transfer the officers to facilitate in-depth and conclusive investigations into the shooting of civilians.
Condoling the families of the victims, Kindiki assured the residents that officers found culpable of the killing will be held to account.
"I condole with the families and relatives of the deceased residents and assure them that justice will be done and those found culpable held to account, in accordance with the law," Kindiki said.
Also transferred were officers from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), anti-counterfeit and immigration departments serving at the Isebania border.
Kindiki warned that any officer who through collusion and corruption allows contraband or counterfeit goods to get into the country will not be transferred to another station but interdicted and prosecuted.
"As a country, we must resolve all grievances peaceably, no matter how aggrieved one is. I appeal to all Kenyans to desist from taking the law into their own hands, retaliation and destruction of property in pursuit of justice," Kindiki said.
"As your security minister, I will not allow lawlessness and disorder to rule. The Government policy moving forward is that no police officer will serve in one station for more than three years."
The CS spoke after a meeting with the Nyanza region and Migori County security and intelligence teams, led by Nyanza regional coordinator Florah Mworoa.
Kindiki, who was accompanied by Deputy Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, also addressed a public baraza at Isebania Town.
Trouble at Isebania Police Station started on May 21 when businessman Moses Mwangi Mugure was shot at his business premise by eight armed criminals who escaped on a motorbike to the neighbouring Sirare town in Tanzania.
Chaos followed that paralysed transport and business activities along the Isebania-Sirare highway as locals bitterly protested the killing of the businessman in Isebania town.
The irate residents said they are worried by the ever-rising spate of insecurity within the town and its environs which they suspect were being perpetrated by Kenyan and Tanzania criminals.
They blamed the police for their ineptness to deal with the bold criminals who even attacked their victims in broad daylight.
At least six people have been attacked in the last three months, according to the business community led by Kehancha Municipal chair Matiko Bohoko and Samuel Kiboye.
They demanded the officers manning the Isebania Police Station be transferred to other places, further claiming that the officers were aiding armed thugs who often disappear into the neighbouring country Tanzania immediately after committing crimes.
"We now want all the police manning this town to be transferred because when it comes to responding to criminals’ raids, they are nowhere to assist," Kiboye stated.
