Shake up in police leadership as IG reshuffles officers over Azimio demos
By Zadock.Aangira, April 3, 2023
The Inspector General of Police at the weekend moved to shake up the force’s leadership in Nairobi over the Azimio la Umoja led demonstrations to protest the high cost of living.
In the changes made on Saturday that affected senior police officers, the former head of Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) Gideon Nyale Munga has been appointed the director of police operations.
Nyale who is also a former head of the Flying Squad was the head of Police reforms and has swapped positions with Boniface Maingi, also a Senior Assistant Inspector General (SAIG)
The changes followed a high-level security meeting held on Friday between President William Ruto and senior police commanders over the disruptions caused by the demonstrations which have largely been concentrated in parts of Nairobi and Kisumu, Migori, Homa Bay and Siaya counties.
Sources said the changes were made following concerns on the manner in which police had handled the protests which have claimed several lives and destruction of property running into millions of shillings in Nairobi and Kisumu.
Central commanders
Koome also transferred five Sub-County Police Commander (SCPC) commonly referred to as OCPDs. Those affected are Kilimani, Njiru (Kayole), Embakasi, Dagoretti and Central commanders. In other changes, Geoffrey Mayek has been named the new Kericho County Police Commander. He replaces Rico Ngare. All Sub-County Police Commanders within Kericho County-Kericho, Kipkelion, Bureti, Sosiot -have also been transferred.
The changes have also seen a number of Ward Commanders (OCSs) transferred, also as a result of the protests.
Nyale is a career detective who served as former IG Hillary Mutyambai’s Principal Assistant and has also served as the head of Planning at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.
He is also among the 12 officers shortlisted by National Police Service Commission (NPSC) for interviews for the position of the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in charge of the Kenya Police Service. The interviews will be conducted tomorrow at the Kenya School of Government (KSG).