Controversy emerges over new mini reshuffle of police bosses

By CYRUS OMBATI
Nairobi, Kenya: Former police spokesman and current Njoro OCPD Charles Owino has been transferred to Ndhiwa as the new Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) in a mini-reshuffle.

Owino who has been the Njoro OCPD will replace George Njoroge who died two weeks ago after an illness.

Central OCPD Fredrick Lai too was moved to Njoro in the same capacity to replace Owino while Butere’s Paul Wanjama will replace Lai.

The new OCPD for Butere is Josephine Ngetich who has been Wanjama’s deputy.

The changes were made on Wednesday night by inspector general of police David Kimaiyo, just two weeks after making another reshuffle where 55 senior officers were affected.

Other sources said Owino’s transfer came after a group of leaders from Njoro visited Kimaiyo to complain that he had been barring them from accessing “their” land.

Owino had been embroiled in a tussle with a group of people in the area who are said to be intruders on private farms.

The matter even moved to court where Owino was given orders to ensure the intruders do not access the said land.

“The people tilling the land are intruders but very powerful. We are informed they went to undercut the OCPD in Nairobi and that is why he has been moved but it is unfortunate,” said an informed source in Nakuru.

It is not clear if the matter had been brought to the attention of the commission as per the law.