Fire fighters and police condone off the scene of the explosion outside Pangani Police Station, Nairobi, in which two officers were killed. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO / STANDARD]

By Felix Olick

Nairobi, Kenya:  Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo has promoted posthumously the two police officers killed in the Pangani blast last week.

They died after a vehicle they had intercepted exploded outside Pangani Police Station after an explosive that was in the car went off. The officers had intercepted a saloon car at about 8 pm at the nearby Pangani roundabout and decided to board it. This even as he clarified that the Sh25 billion heroin haul seized by the Australian Navy off the Kenyan Coast is still not clear to the Kenyan police.

Kimaiyo promoted the two former Constables Francis Murage and Samwel Cheptuk to the rank of Corporal, hailing them as selfless officers.

“Their acts of selflessness, commitment, devotion and dedication to duty in thwarting these criminal elements will forever be appreciated by all Kenyans,” said Administration Police Spokesman Masoud Mwinyi. According to Mwinyi, the posthumous promotion will be reflected in the officer’s benefits.

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Mwinyi who spoke on behalf of the IG also announced the promotion of the other two officers who survived the incident. Corporal Samuel Kabiru has been promoted to Sergeant while his colleague Alex Ndara has been endorsed as Corporal.

Saturday, Mwinyi defended the two officers from critics who claim they should not to have entered the vehicle. “It was not a reckless act. The officers acted professionally,” said Mwinyi.  He continued, “We cannot blame them because there are dangerous weapons one cannot identify with their naked eye”.

Some investigators said the terrorists could have been targeting a function that was to be attended by Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku and Kimaiyo.

Dangerous weapons

The two were scheduled to attend a live interview with KTN’s Jeff Koinange at Eastleigh Mall.

However, they were still at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where they had gone to receive President Uhuru Kenyatta from Qatar when the explosion occurred.

Saturday, Mwinyi also disclosed that they are yet to be contacted by Australian authorities over the multi-billion-shilling heroin seized on Thursday.  “The drugs were not captured within the vicinity of our territory,” he said. “We are waiting for a formal communication to launch joint investigations.”

Mwinyi said that on Friday, police officers shot dead alleged terrorist who had military training in Somalia and recovered Bereta pistol and three unexpended bullets. “When challenged to surrender, he opened fire, prompting a shootout in which he was killed,” he said.

He said that on the same day police killed three suspected criminals in Nyeri who had earlier committed a robbery.