Police Constable Hiram Kimathi has refused to comply with a transfer order after opposing a 'shoot order' issued by his superiors.
Kimathi, on his social media page, stated that he was transferred from Kyumbi Police Station, near Machakos Junction, to the remote Todonyang Police Station on the border of Kenya and Ethiopia.
“This is not a transfer. It is a warning shot to every officer with a conscience. Speak out against the state, and you’ll be buried in isolation," he said.
According to a letter he posted, he was instructed to report to the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) for further instructions upon arrival at Todonyang Police Station.
“You will proceed from Kyumbi Police Station to Todonyang Police Station and upon arrival, report to the officer commanding station for further instructions,” the order read.
The transfer came after Kimathi went viral on TikTok criticising Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s order to shoot violent protesters.
"We have directed the police that anyone who dares approach a police station with criminal intent, shoot them,” Murkomen said on June 27, 2025.
Speaking in a video, Kimathi warned that Murkomen’s order amounted to state-sanctioned executions, stating that police officers swore to uphold the Constitution, not to carry out such orders.
He rejected the transfer, stating that he is not going anywhere. He also called out President William Ruto for backing Murkomen’s sentiments.
Ruto made his remarks while addressing a gathering during the launch of the Police Housing Project at Kilimani Police Station in Nairobi on July 9.
“Anyone deciding to storm a person’s business or a police station should be shot in the leg. Thereafter, they can go to court and see what follows next,” Ruto said.
Todonyang Police Station is located in the north-eastern part of Lodwar and is considered a high-risk area, marked by frequent cross-border raids, poor infrastructure, and limited transport access.
