Former CID boss Noah arap Too dies at Nairobi Hospital

Noah arap Too, a former Criminal Investigations Department boss, who also served as the Ainamoi legislator, is dead.
Mr Too passed away at the Nairobi Hospital on Wednesday, where he had been admitted for a while.

He was one of the longest-serving CID (renamed Directorate of Criminal Investigation) boss, having served for 15 years during former President Daniel Moi’s rule.

He was appointed in 1984 and served until February 1999 when he retired.

Mr Too’s son, Paul Kipkemoi, confirmed that his father passed on at around 2 a.m. at the hospital, where he had been admitted for three weeks.

“The family is still in shock. We are still trying to come to terms with the fact that he is gone” he said, adding that friends and family were meeting to arrange his burial.

While passing his condolences, Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro said Mr Too’s contribution to police service could not be taken for granted.

“It is with shock that I learnt this morning of the passing on of Hon Noah Arap Too and a former DCI,” Mr Muhoro said.

Other leaders who sent their condolences include Kericho Senator Charles Keter, who said that the country had lost one of the best security minds it has ever had.

JOINED POLICE IN 1964

Mr Too joined the then Kenya Police as a corporal in 1964, where he served for 20 years as a uniformed police officer and detective as he rose through the ranks.

He served under Kenya’s first President Jomo Kenyatta’s government and through to former President Moi’s regime as the CID boss after taking over from Mr Ignatius Nderi.

It was during Mr Too’s tenure that special units within the police force such as the Crime Intelligence Unit and the Flying Squad, which were aimed at fighting organised crime and highway robberies, were created.

He joined politics in 2002 after serving in the Public Service Commission for two years.

He contested and won the Ainamoi parliamentary seat in the 2002 General Election, taking over from Kipng’eno Arap Ng’eny.

He was the Kanu party candidate.

The then president, Mwai Kibaki, appointed Mr Too as the assistant minister for Home Affairs when the minister was Moody Awori.

However, Mr Too only served for three months before resigning.

Mr Too served as Ainamoi MP for one term until 2007 when he lost the seat to David Kimutai Too, famously known as "Principal", and who was shot dead by a policeman on January 31, 2008.

Former roads minister Franklin Bett, while mourning the death of Mr Too, described him as a fine, alert and a meticulous police officer.
Mr Bett said he had seen Mr Too in hospital on Tuesday evening.

“I have lost a good friend” he said.