Civil groups cry foul over transfer of cops caught on CCTV assaulting residents
By Aloys Michael, February 10, 2026A coalition of civil society organisations has strongly criticised reports that police officers implicated in a viral assault captured on CCTV in Nandi Hills were transferred instead of facing disciplinary action, warning that such moves risk deepening a culture of impunity within the National Police Service (NPS).
In a statement issued on February 10, 2026, the Police Reforms Working Group Kenya (PRWG-K) said the reported redeployment of officers linked to the incident, which involved the assault of young men at a late-night pool venue, undermines accountability efforts and weakens public trust in policing institutions.
“Administrative transfers are not a form of accountability; rather, they serve to entrench a culture of impunity within the National Police Service. By merely relocating officers accused of violence, the Service fails to address the underlying misconduct and instead risks spreading the same patterns of abuse to new communities,” the statement read in part.
The controversy followed the circulation of disturbing CCTV footage showing uniformed officers harassing and assaulting civilians in Nandi Hills, causing widespread public outrage and renewed debate over excessive force and police brutality.
Earlier, the National Police Service confirmed that its Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) had opened investigations into the incident and recommended administrative action against several officers captured in the footage, including senior commanders responsible for the affected area.
Social media claims later emerged from Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei that some of the officers had been transferred to other stations, including in Nairobi.
Cherargei argued that he was shocked that the IG took the action of promoting the senior officers and that the IG should stop lying to the public, recommending that the officers should have been demoted and be subject to disciplinary action.
“The OCPD Tinderet was transferred to Lang’ata Sub-County, the OCS Songoh to Central Police Station, the OCS Nandi Hills to Pangani Police Station, and the Officer in Charge of RDU Songoh Camp was seconded to the Special Guard Branch, stating that no such transfer postings or secondments were approved or communicated through official NPS channels,” the post stated.
The NPS has since dismissed the reports as fake news and said no official transfers had been announced.
Despite the conflicting claims, PRWG-K insisted that any administrative relocation of officers facing serious accusations would be unacceptable if not accompanied by transparent investigations and disciplinary proceedings.
“The Nandi County incident is not an isolated case. Similar allegations of excessive force and police brutality have been reported across several counties, underscoring systemic gaps in accountability, supervision, and disciplinary enforcement,” the group stated.
Demand for accountability
The coalition called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to immediately conduct thorough and independent investigations into the conduct of the officers involved and to provide regular public updates on the progress of the probe to ensure transparency.
It also urged the oversight body to recommend formal disciplinary proceedings where wrongdoing is established and ensure the full enforcement of legal sanctions.
PRWG-K further emphasised the principle of command responsibility, arguing that senior officers who authorise, condone, or fail to prevent unlawful conduct must also be held accountable.
“Senior officers who authorise, condone, or fail to prevent unlawful conduct bear responsibility for violations committed under their command,” the statement said, warning that failure to act exposes police leadership and the Service to legal and institutional liability.
The rights group added that sustainable public safety cannot be achieved through unlawful force or administrative cover-ups, stressing that meaningful police reform requires independent oversight, firm disciplinary action, and strict adherence to constitutional and legal standards governing the use of force.
The organisation also raised concern over recent public remarks attributed to some security officials suggesting aggressive policing approaches, cautioning that all law-enforcement operations must comply with the legal framework governing the use of force, including the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, accountability, and last resort.