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Why regular police officers now want nothing to do with KICC building


Regular police officers who have until recently been stationed at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) have been dealt a major blow after the service cut their allowances and redefined their roles at the iconic building.

In the changes which took effect on Monday, the officers will no longer be guarding the building with that role now delegated to Administration Police (AP) officers.

In a memo dated July 15, 2019, seen by Nairobi News, the Ag Chief Security and Safety Officer said that the decision was reached during a meeting by the Security Technical Committee on July 4.

“The committee deliberated on the issue of police allowance payable to security agencies tasked to perform security duties to parliament vis-à-vis value for money and resolved to stop allowances to all Kenya Police Service officers attached to KICC Police Station,” the memo reads in part.

SECURITY

The committee also resolved to assign AP officers with the duty of providing security at the building and offices occupied by Members of Parliament.

The move has however not gone down well with regular police officers whose duty will now be restricted to booking law breakers at the KICC Police station.

Police officers who spoke to Nairobi News expressed their dissatisfaction with the move saying that they were not consulted.

An officer who spoke to Nairobi News on condition of anonymity for fear of being victimized said that it is high time the officers attached to Kenya Police are moved out of KICC station.

“The move is a clear indication that we don’t have any duties to perform. They should move us to other stations,” said the officer.

DUTIES

This comes just days after more than 22,000 AP officers joined the regular police service in accordance to police reforms announced late last year by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Only a few AP officers will be serving under the unit with their supervisor named as Deputy Inspector General Noor Gabow in a unit that has been identified as Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU).

Their duties and roles will include protection of electricity sector, protection of Government buildings and data centres which include Huduma Centers and courts.

Other roles include protection of infrastructure such as bridges, railways, water points, banks as well as protection of cash in transit and learning institutions.