Former administration officers discriminated during deployment

Deputy Inspector General Edward Mbugua has directed the immediate deployment of former AP officers who joined Kenya Police Service last month. 

Key interviews and a confidential memo obtained by the Star show the ex-APs are under-deployed in by their colleagues in the Kenya Police Service. 

The memo dated July 24 is directed to regional police bosses, county commissioners, subcounty commanders, ward commanders and director of inspections in the police service. 

“It has come to my attention that ex-Administration Police officers are under-deployed or are not being deployed in some sections at the police station,”  Mbugua said. 

"I direct that the ex-APS officers must be deployed in all sections at the police station to enable them to learn the duties performed at the station."

Some of the duties include working as court orderlies and traffic officers. 

Mbugua asked commanders to ensure all officers appear in the weekly duty roster to ensure fairness in deployment. He directed Director Inspections to carry out impromptu inspections to stations to ensure compliance. 

The National Police Service is made up of 90,442 officers — 44,705 in the Kenya Police Service and another 40,330 in the Administration Police. However, 23,000 AP officers were moved to the police service to perform general duties. 

The heavily affected regions following the transfers are Rift Valley (6,707), Eastern (3938) and Central (3,109). Others are Nairobi (1,438), Nyanza (2,694), Western (2,276), Coast (2,043) and Northeastern (1,785).

The Administration Police under Deputy Inspector-General Noor Gabow has now remained with the Border Police Unit, the Rapid Deployment Unit, the Anti-Stock Theft Unit, the Security of Government Buildings Unit and the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit.

"It is disturbing to hear that some stations have more non-commissioned officers than the constables, while some police posts established in arid areas are run by junior police constables," Abdi M, who signed on behalf of deputy IG Mbugua, said in another circular last month.

Edited by N. Mbugua