Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has ordered police officers manning politicians not to take orders from politicians.
Speaking amid the recent incident where a police officer attached to State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed shot a person to death, Murkomen revealed that police officers are not employees of politicians and are not answerable to them.
"I want to make it abundantly clear that National Police Reservists (NRP) are not answerable to politicians, and they are not employees to politicians. It doesn't matter that those leaders have been elected in their respective counties," Murkomen ordered.
According to the Interior Cabinet Secretary, the services of the NPR needed to be separated from politics. Murkomen further revealed that plans are underway to separate the work of rangers from politics.
"The fact that a ranger is working for county government does not mean that those rangers are personal police officers of the governor of that county," Murkomen directed.
Murkomen's directive comes barely a week after a police officer attached to Mohammed fatally shot a man in Kawangware, Nairobi, on Sunday night following a confrontation over a pool game.
The officer allegedly fired multiple shots at 35-year-old Amos Lagat, hitting him in the stomach and chest at close range. Witnesses say the argument started after Lagat won a bet in a local pub in the Amboseli area.
According to locals, the officer appeared agitated after losing, and an altercation ensued, leading to the shooting.
Further, Murkomen revealed that his Ministry was aware of politicians who were working in cahoots with bandits and had launched intensive investigations to get them to face the book.
"It is true we have some MCAs, MPs, governors, and senators who are encouraging and supporting banditry. Our team is continuing with investigations, and we will stop at nothing to ensure they are all accountable," Murkomen declared.
In a move to ensure that banditry is combatted in the country, Murkomen has declared war on those culpable and promised to ensure the safety of Kenyans most affected.
Cases of insecurity in the country have been on the rise, and police officers have been involved in questionable activities that Murkomen has promised to tighten the loophole.
