Adamson Bungei, the Nairobi police chief who led his colleagues against anti-government protests in 2024, has been transferred following administrative changes by Inspector-General Douglas Kanja.
Police spokesperson Dr Resila Onyango has also been moved in what Mr Kanja describes as routine changes.
Mr Bungei, a career Administration Police officer, becomes the director of police operations at Vigilance House. This means he will oversee all police operations across the country.
He has held the Nairobi police command since November 2022 after taking over from James Mugera, who retired.
George Sedah, who until Thursday was the Coast regional police chief, takes over as the new Nairobi regional police boss.
Kiambu County Police Commander Michael Muchiri. He has been named Police Spokesperson.
Ali Nuno, who for months has served as the Kwale county police chief, has been promoted and named the Coast region police boss.
Also affected by the changes is National police director of human resource management Rosemary Kuraru, who has been moved to the DCI headquarters and named the director of the forensic laboratory.
Former DCI head of forensic investigations Wanderi Mwangi moves to Jogoo house as the director of human resource management.
Dr Wanderi is a seasoned investigator, who has risen through the ranks of the police in the DCI, where he served for the better part of his career.
Judy Jebet, who previously served as the director of the internal affairs unit, makes a comeback to Vigilance House following her appointment as the director of community policing.
Michael Sang, who served as the DCI head of the serious crimes unit, has been promoted and named the new DCI boss in Eastern.
This is Kanja’s first raft of major changes in the police since he took over as the Inspector-General.
For Mr Bungei, his promotion comes after what was heavy criticism for his and the police’s handling of the anti-government demonstrations in 2024, as they were accused of using excessive force that led to the killing of unarmed protestors.
In July 2024, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), through Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, demanded the sacking of the then Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and Mr Bungei.
“As Azimio and on behalf of the people, we demand that Inspector General Japheth Koome and Nairobi Regional Commander Mr Adamson Bungei immediately tender their resignations for failing to protect the peaceful demonstrators. We also demand that the Director of Public Prosecution bring charges against Koome, Bungei, and their rogue officers for the murders of Rex,” Mr Musyoka said in a press briefing in Nairobi on June 21, 2024.
The ODM party in the July 2024 statement also demanded that all police officers implicated in the murders of over 200 innocent Kenyans in peaceful protests since 2023 should be apprehended.
In addition, the party also demanded a national amnesty for all persons arrested or charged in connection with protests, and compensation for all victims of police brutality.
“The decision to fire his cabinet was a good start in our view. But the feeling across the country is that there still exists an atmosphere of fear that makes it impossible for people to speak freely.
Ruto must immediately fire the IG of Police, the Nairobi Police commander, and apprehend all Police Officers implicated in the murders of the over 200 innocent Kenyans in peaceful protests since last year,” Mr Sifuna said then.
