TOP COP CHIEF KINOTI WIELDS A BIG STICK

Kenya Forum readers will know that the recently appointed chief of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, George Kinoti, has ordered the re-investigation of unsolved murders in Kenya (see ‘Unsolved Murders in Kenya – DCO to Re-Investigate’, posted 10 February). Just a few days later Kinoti, known as a tough officer from his time as police chief in Nairobi, has completed changes that sees the transfer of some 350 officers from the Flying Squad and the Special Crime Prevention Unit.

Kinoti’s latest move comes after concerns that some officers have been involved in gun-running and colluding with crime gangs.

The transferred police officers will be replaced by officers from other units but the total number of officers in the two units will be reduced by about 100 to ‘improve efficiency’.

There will also be a structural change with the Flying Squad and Special Crime Prevention Unit now coming under the auspices of one commander.

The changes were discussed last week at a meeting of senior police commanders, a meeting that President Uhuru Kenyatta attended.

Further changes are also being mooted to the Criminal Intelligence Unit.