A police officer went on a rant against Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, daring him to have him shot dead while lamenting over stressful working conditions in North Eastern Kenya.
In a video that surfaced on Twitter on Wednesday, March 4, the officer is seen complaining that he had given his best in the fight against insecurity, but his efforts had been in vain and that he wished to return home to his family.
The video was seemingly shot inside a police camp, judging from the presence of his colleagues who are can be seen in the background. The video seems to be shot by one of his colleagues holding a walkie-talkie who interrogates the distraught officer.
The officer's lamentations come at a time when attacks on residents and police officers by militants in the region have escalated.
"Mimi nipigwe risasi niende ni... na niende nifutwe kazi! Staki kazi tena! (Let them shoot me or fire me. I don't want to be employed anymore)," the officer laments.
"Mimi nimevumilia. Mimi ni mtu ako na watoto. Si mimi nilijileta hapa. Na nimejaribu kabisa. (I have truly persevered. I have a family and children too. I did not bring myself here. I have tried my best)," he adds while walking out of the camp.
The scene shows the officer with backpack, a pair of shoes in his right hand and a carrier bag in his left hand, indicating that he had packed up and ready to go home.
His colleagues who interacted with him trolled him, asking him to repeat his remarks on tape, before trying to block him.
"Sema tena. Sema tena ufutwe kazi. Sema tena upigwe risasi. Ukienda kwa gate hautoki. We kaa hapa. We kaa hapa nanii. (Repeat. State that you would like to be fired. State again that you want to be shot at. If you reach the gate we won't allow you to leave. Come and sit down)," a police officer is heard mocking.
Kenyans swiftly responded, asking the National Police Service to enrol the officer for guidance and counselling.
"Now this is one of the officers the police service has directed to protect the residents and country at the borders? He is under duress, stressed and probably underpaid. Suppose this guy had a gun in his hands si angemaliza watu (he would have used the firearm unlawfully)," one netizen responded.
"I am a police officer and I work under very harsh environment in the borders of Kenya and this situation is common due to drug abuse and stress and not poor payment. Our police service should employ counsellors to guide and counsel us," one netizen who claimed to be a law enforcer stated.
The colleague asking the poor officer to repeat "nipigwe risasi" What is his intention? Help the policeman," one Leshomo wondered.
In July 2019, Mutyambai announced that the National Police Service would introduce a counselling programme to help manage stress among officers.
Mutyambai stated that NPS established Service Counselling and Rehabilitation Centre to address the issue.
“The programme will first be rolled out in Nairobi before being spread to the rest of the country,” Mutyambai stated. This was after former Olympic gold medalist and police officer Asbel Kiprop threatened to use a firearm unlawfully.
Such incidents have been in the spotlight in the past years. On Friday, October 18, IG Mutyambai ordered for the hospitlisation of one ane Asimizi, a frustrated Administration Police officer stationed in Kakamega County dared Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai to fire her.
In a video that went viral on social media, Asimizi vented her frustrations, stating that her life as a law enforcer had taken a turn for the worst.
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