MPs have put the National Police Service (NPS) on the spot over transfer and promotion of police officers amid calls for streamlining of police welfare.
The development comes after senators raised concerns over the manner of police transfers and promotions, accusing the NPS of favouritism and using the two exercises to settle scores.
Stirring the hornet’s nest was Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi who wanted to know what criteria NPS uses during transfer of police officers.
He charged that the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations should summon the Service to explain issues regarding the welfare of police officers during transfers and retirement.
“We want to know the criteria used by the National Police Service (NPS) in carrying out transfers of police officers, indicating whether during the exercise they consider family dynamics, specifically the school calendar to minimise the disruption of the education of the officers' children,” said Mr Mundigi.
The lawmaker wanted the NPS to come clear on the career progressions of police officers and outline strategies in place to ensure the upward movement of each officer before retirement.
Wajir Senator Mohamed Abass claimed that some of the transfers are irregular and are done to punish officers who disagree with their superiors.
He argued that such practice has seen many police officers frustrated, ending up dying by suicide in the process.
“When police officers disagree with their immediate boss, they are taken away to Turkana since they have nobody to protect them; they have no lawyers. For example, they could be transferred to Turkana and their family is in Wajir or Mandera. As a result of this, many of them have developed a mental illness,” said Mr Abass.
“Young men who are graduates are poorly paid. They stay away from their families for some months because they are transferred to far places,” he added.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina also wanted to understand whether police officers are transferred to hardship areas as a form of punishment or because of indiscipline.
He argued that it is important for an officer to be told why they are being transferred to eliminate any complaints, adding that the public should be made aware whether when a police officer is transferred to Turkana, Tana River or West Pokot it is because of indiscipline or punishment for a certain reason.
“I am aware of a situation where a young officer with a young child, three months old, whose wife was breast-feeding, was transferred. I had to intervene; it is imperative that we defend these people. We should be made aware of the procedure taken,” said the Senate Minority Whip.
On matters of police promotion, he claimed that there is a police officer who has been stuck as a constable for the last 27 years, questioning what criteria NPS uses when effecting promotions.
“I recently met a traffic officer, who told me that he has been in the lower cadre of a constable for the last 27 years. This person is from Kuria. I feel like it is imperative for us to know. If I sit in one position for 20 years, I stagnate, therefore, so there is no growth whatsoever,” he said.
“I plead with the committee to give us information on what criteria is used to promote police officers from constable, corporal, sergeant to chief. Is it based on academics?” Senator Olekina posed.
Kirinyaga Senator James Murango said the inhumane transfers have sometimes led to families breaking as a result of the separation and attendant additional costs in managing such situations.
“That is why most of the time police officers have found themselves battling mental illnesses. It is therefore important that the officers are consulted as well as get facilitated before such transfers,” he said.
Nominated Senator Beatrice Ogola said the transfers should be done with a human face considering the critical services provided by the police.
She said that the NPS should take into consideration the situation of a police officer’s family before any transfer is made.
“As I support the fact that transfers are administrative and every region of this country deserves the service of police officers, the transfer must be done with some humane face. We are able to sleep comfortably because we know there is someone ensuring that we are secure and therefore we must also look at the general well-being of police officers,” said Ms Ogola.
“A number of times we blame police officers for the many things that are not done rightly. However, do we stop to consider the kind of services that police officers give us?” she posed.
