Security chief warns corrupt askaris
Plans to form the Nairobi County Metropolitan Police Unit will take off any time from next week.
The Unit policy will be written by top security officers who will include Nairobi Police Commander Benson Kibue and the incoming head of the newly constituted Security and Compliance Unit at City Hall, Mr Charlton Mureithi.
The plans will start as soon as Mr Mureithi arrives at City Hall from his former station at Garissa where he was serving as the North Eastern Police Commander.
The new unit will be formed in close consultation with the Kenya Police Service.
On Tuesday, Mr Mureithi was guarded on the plans he has for a unit that will replace the notorious County askaris.
“I will give full details when I officially report. I am just waiting to hand over to my successor. I should be in Nairobi any time,” he told Nairobi News from Garissa.
Although, it is yet to emerge the number of officers the security chiefs have settled on in the pilot strategy, Governor Evans Kidero had earlier indicated the officers could be about 500.
They will be retrained to adjust to emerging security demands in the city.
Mr Mureithi is regarded one of the most experienced crime busters having served as Deputy Commandant of the dreaded General Service Unit (GSU).
After his stint at GSU, he was recalled to Police Headquarters where he was made Director of Personnel.
Early this year, when the terrorism threat worried the government, he was the man who was dispatched to the arid and tough terrain to counter the militants.
Mr Mureithi’s posting may well have spelt a death knell for the director of City Inspectorate Mr Hillary Wambugu who was eyeing a top security position in the county government.
The county Assembly has recommended his suspension awaiting retirement.