• The big-hearted Kisii county police commander goes out of his way to help the needy
• He takes every chance to tell the public the police are not bad people, can save lives
For many, Kisii county police commander Francis Kooli is an ordinary police officer out there doing his work.
But for others, he is a man who has won their hearts with his acts of kindness, from rescuing needy students to helping widows engaging in outlawed activities due to unemployment.
Kooli is among those shortlisted for the Star Person of the Year.
The soft-spoken and ever-smiling officer says he does charity work to help himself heal from the many tough situations police find themselves in as they execute their duties.
“Being a police officer is not easy. It is a calling and I appreciate that. We at times find ourselves in very tough conditions that call for emotional sobriety,” he said.
“I compensate for the low moments with serving Kenyans in other ways beyond arresting and enforcing law and order."
Kooli's benevolence has caught the attention of the entire National Police Service, who have been compelled to applaud him to further propagate his life-changing initiatives.
His rise to the limelight came when he came to the rescue of a girl who made headlines by reading while herding cows.
This was after the police boss, who was touched by the girl's determination, drove all the way to her home and offered to support her academic journey.
Kooli showed he had a heart of gold when he also helped an entire family that had lived in a makeshift shelter for about three months after their mud house collapsed on July 20.
He said he mobilised for foodstuffs and other materials together with his colleagues before he hit the road to visit the family.
On September 30, in conjunction with the National Police Service, Kooli donated pieces of land to widows in Kisii in a rare move aimed at assisting them.
He presided over the handing over of the leased land to Nyagenke Self-Help Group with 200 members.
Kooli is a career police officer who has served in various capacities, rising through the ranks to the current one of county police commander.
In the short time he has been in Kisii, the father of three children, now adults, has continued with his acts of kindness.
He has distributed wheelchairs to people with disabilities, food items and sanitary towels to needy girls.
He says he is passionate about community policing, peacebuilding and responsible youth citizenry.
This has won him the KNBTS Mobiliser of the Year Award, GoK OGW Award, Peace Award for National Peace Building and Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) Distinguished Service Award for exemplary community work.
OGW is presented to individuals in recognition of outstanding service rendered to the country in different responsibilities and capacities.
Kooli has served at the Administration Police Training College as an instructor between 1993 and 2003, Isiolo, Nakuru, Molo, Transmara, Loitoktok, Laikipia, Kakamega, Migori, Bomet, Wajir, Siaya and now Kisii.
He said his experience in Turkana helped shape his adult life and he has learnt to appreciate life.
At one time, he gave out flowers on Valentines’ Day while in Bomet, which left many locals in awe.
Kooli takes every available opportunity to tell the public that the police are not bad people and can save lives.
He has been in the field of negotiating for peace in various parts of the country as he can talk in Luhya, Kalenjin, Dholuo, Kikuyu, Swahili, English and Turkana.
All places he has served, he has been involved in solving conflicts. They include Transmara and Molo, where many were affected by ethnic clashes.
Kooli is also a peacebuilder, a social change agent and founder of Peace Ambassadors Kenya, an organisation that brings together more than 5,000 youths from across the country and works with university students.
The organisation was started in February 2012 as the brainchild of young people from universities and colleges and the Kenya Administration Police Service, who offered patronage to the initiative.
"Since its inception, the organisation has endeavoured to grow as a formidable player in Kenya's peacebuilding and youth empowerment sector," Kooli said.
He said they are currently implementing seven projects under a programme titled Peace Ambassadors Kenya: Mobilising, Organising, Empowering, Engaging and Celebrating Kenyan Youth.
He won an award in 2011 for being the country's Best Blood Donation Mobiliser of the Year.
"I received this award after a 250km blood donation walk, where we realised 2,683 pints of blood. We walked from Kakamega to Nakuru, mobilising Kenyans to donate blood," Kooli said.
Edited by T Jalio