New boss named for anti-terror unit

A new anti-terrorism police chief was appointed in a shake-up of senior Criminal Investigations Department officers on Wednesday.

Mr Boniface Mwaniki will now lead the crackdown against al Shabaab, a terrorist group that poses the biggest security threat to Kenya.

The Somalia-based al- Shabaab, which is linked to the al Qaeda terror network, has active cells in Kenya and is listed as an outlawed organisation in the Kenya Gazette.

Mr Mwaniki, who was the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit deputy chief, takes over from Mr Nicholas Kamwende, who has been sent for advanced training at the National Defence College (NDC).

Other changes involved officers in charge of CID provincial commands and those seconded to the global police organisation, Interpol.

Mr Francis Njiru takes charge of the expansive Rift Valley Province as the CID boss.

Until yesterday, he was the head of operations at the CID headquarters, a position that has been taken over by Mr Zachary Tum, who was his deputy.

Mr Scavier Mbogho is the new head of CID in Eastern Province, replacing Mr Samuel Nyabengi, who moved to Western in the same capacity.

Ms Lilian Kiamba was posted to CID headquarters to head the complaints section and gave way for Mr Nyabengi.

The Dog Unit commandant Gedion Ngumi was also sent to NDC for further training.

Mr Paul Ndambuki was seconded to Interpol head office in Lyon, France, after Ms Mary Kaol returned home after the end of her term.

She was sent to Nairobi’s Interpol office at the CID headquarters.

Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere made the changes and directed the officers to report to their new stations by Monday next week.