Sack officers found drunk on duty, OCS says of repeat offenders

Chief Inspector Isaac Mkonambi speaks during an event in Kisii on September 12,2025/X

The government has now been asked to take firm action against officers found drunk or abusing drugs while on duty, with calls for repeat offenders to be fired in order to safeguard public trust and strengthen security.

Speaking during a Jukwaa la Usalama forum in Kisii, Chief Inspector Isaac Mkonambi told Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen who presided over the event that the only way to safeguard public trust and strengthen security is to have repeat offenders fired from service.

He said substance abuse within the service is no longer an isolated matter but a widespread challenge that undermines discipline, efficiency, and credibility.

“Wale askari wanatumia madawa na wameshtakiwa mara tano; the sixth time wafutwe,” Mkonambi, the officer commanding station (OCS) in Kisii said.

He stressed that officers who relapse after multiple rehabilitation attempts should be dismissed. 

He argued that millions of shillings are spent on rehabilitation, yet many officers return to old habits, becoming a liability to the service. 

"These people wanakula pesa ya serikali wanakuwa rehabilitated na wanarudi kuwa walevi na kutumia drugs, wakati kuna vijana wengi who are ready for service,” he said.

The OCS noted that drunk or drug-using officers cannot effectively carry out their duties, exposing both colleagues and citizens to danger. 

He added that some officers even collaborate with drug cartels, further eroding national security. 

"How do you say that national security is strong when you have police officers who use drugs, who are drunkards, and who are part of the cartels that sell these substances?” he asked.

Drawing from his own experience, Mkonambi revealed that while serving at a particular station for seven months, he succeeded in intercepting narcotics where none had ever been seized before. 

“I used my intelligence, but later cartels threatened to kill me or force my transfer,” he said, highlighting the risks faced by officers who resist the drug trade.