Explain transfers, police chiefs told

Police commanders have been directed to quell disquiet among their juniors protesting against mass transfers to counter terrorism.

Vigilance House denied claims that the transfer of more than 1,000 officers across the country was “biased and punitive”.

“The claims that the reshuffle is biased is false and we urge senior officers to explain fully to junior officer reasons for their transfer to avert speculation,” said police spokesman Eric Kiraithe in an interview.

Some of the affected officers claimed that they were relocated to serve in remote parts of the country without entitlement to disturbance allowance.

“We are effecting transfers of our officers to areas that were vulnerable to Al-Shabaab attacks and also as part of our security strategy in readiness for the coming General Election,” said Mr Kiraithe.

He added: “It is not true that there is any sinister motive against any officer because what we are doing is posting our officers to areas that need police concentration due to the current security situation in the country.”

He admitted that there was delayed payment of allowances to facilitate movements of the transferred officers “but we shall effect their payments soon.”

Sources intimated that about 1,000 officers from the traffic department, Criminal Investigation Department,  Flying Squad Unit and regular police in the lowest rank of constable were reshuffled effective from last month.

Those affected faulted the vetting process by their seniors, describing the move as “intimidating and biased as opposed to improving service delivery to guarantee Kenyans a crime free environment.”

Vigilance House allegedly directed the station commanders to ensure that the affected officers were “transferred to remotest areas of the country,” claimed one of the officers.

The Nation could not independently access the said signal to verify its contents.

Some of those transferred told the Nation on Thursday that they were victimised after dismantling a carjacking syndicate along Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

“We have received transfer letters on recommendation from our seniors in Nairobi despite our recent commendation by the public that appreciated our work in eliminating terror gangs behind a series of highway robberies,” said one of the affected police officers.

He claimed that two traffic officers, who were earlier slated for transfer,  were spared under unexplained circumstances.

“Our seniors are sacrificing us because we have no authority to challenge their decisions for their own selfish interests,” said one of the officer in Nakuru.

Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere recently wrote to his senior officers demanding an explanation over the killing of a suspected criminal in Engachura after a rights group accused the officers of taking the law into their hands.