Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has broken his silence on the viral incident involving the civilian who facilitated the setup of a police patrol base in Ndugulu location, Uasin Gishu county.
Images of the police patrol base went viral on Sunday, March 9, igniting an online debate about whether a civilian had the authority to establish an institution typically managed by the government.
While addressing the media on Wednesday, March 12, Kanja was adamant that parties involved in establishing the patrol base "made a mistake," adding that there is a due process to be followed as per the law.
"There is someone who opened his police station recently. Let me start by saying that is a mistake," the police boss said.
The inspector general proceeded to give an elaborate process that the mastermind behind the police patrol base should have followed, starting with public participation. According to Kanja, the area leadership should have also been consulted to determine whether the area indeed needs a police station.
"The request should have then been taken to the sub-county security committee led by the Deputy County Commissioner, police commanders, and members of the National Intelligence Service," he went on.
Kanja further stated that the Inspector General of Police was also supposed to have been made aware of the move to facilitate the gazetting of the patrol base.
The police boss's response came a day after Kenyans.co.ke exclusively spoke to Collins Letich, the individual who provided the paint used to turn a building into a station.
Collins clarified that contrary to reports online, the 'station' was set up less than a week ago upon the request of members of the local community. The patrol base, according to the Uasin Gishu natives, has never been functional.
He also claimed that the decision was driven by widespread insecurity in the area, as locals were forced to travel long distances to access police services at the nearest station.
Despite faulting the establishment of the patrol base without following protocol, Kanja left the door open for a gazetted post to be established in the area in the future.
"It was a mistake on the individual's part. But if the residents still want to have a police station set up in the area, that is the due process to be followed," the IG said.
