Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu on Thursday, January 30, issued a five-day ultimatum to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja demanding the re-transfer of police officers involved in the Duka Moja incident that claimed three lives.
The governor, while speaking at an event, made this demand in the aftermath of the deadly protests in Duka Moja, Suswa, along the busy Narok-Nairobi highway.
"I want to say this categorically, and I want people to listen to me. We don’t want those officers who have killed two of our people. And let this be known—we don’t want them, and they need to pack and go," Ntutu stated.
"We are giving them five days. If they don’t leave, we will camp there. I want to call upon the IG and the Minister of Interior—we have given the government five days. Transfer these officers who have killed my people," he averred.
The governor’s demand came after it emerged that the officers, who were transferred in the aftermath of the clashes, went to court seeking orders to stop their transfer.
"I am shocked to hear that the officers went to court so that they can get a court order not to leave Narok County," Ntutu said.
Due to the volatile situation, the government ordered the transfer of all police officers from the Duka Moja and Ntulele police stations involved in quelling the protests.
However, they got a reprieve after the Labour Court in Nairobi issued temporary orders stopping the transfer of 194 officers from the two Narok East police stations pending the hearing and determination of their case.
These orders, which affected officers from Duka Moja and Ntulele Police Stations, followed a petition filed by activist Memba Ocharo, who informed the court that the transfers violated the Service Standing Orders.
The Duka Moja clashes erupted after angry residents took to the streets to protest against a heinous incident in which a Toyota Prado vehicle, heading to Kisii on Thursday night, hit their livestock, killing over 40 sheep.
Police had embarked on an operation to remove the sheep carcasses from the road when the violent protest began. The residents forcefully prevented the police from taking the animal carcasses away.
This led to a confrontation between the police and the irate residents, which turned fatal. A police officer sustained serious injuries after his hand was chopped off, while other officers and residents were also injured and received medical treatment.
Since then, relative calm has been restored in the Duka Moja area, with investigations being carried out by the police and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
