Opposition MPs want Kindiki summoned over death of Water Nyankieya in the US

Opposition legislators in the National Assembly are demanding that the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki be summoned to appear before the House to explain under what circumstances a police inspector who was allegedly on a reconnaissance mission to Haiti was discovered dead in his hotel room in Washington, DC.
 

Water Nyankieya Nyamato, 40, a police inspector who was attached to Jogoo House Nairobi, died on February 13, 2024, but the autopsy report is yet to be handed over to the family.
According to his kin, the deceased was visiting Haiti for the third time on a reconnaissance mission ahead of the intended deployment of 1,000 Kenyan police officers to the multinational security support mission in the foreign country.

On the contrary, the National Police Service stated that the deceased, together with nine other officers, was in the United States for a seminar when his death occurred.
Since his passing on, the family was informed by the US police that the autopsy report would only be handed over to the government of Kenya as it was a Government-to-Government arrangement.

On the floor of the National Assembly, the deceased's Member of Parliament Clive Gisairo (Kitutu Masaba) asked the departmental committee on administration and national security to explain the circumstances of the officer's death and the delayed release of the autopsy report.

"Pursuant to Standing Order No. 44(2)(c), I wish to request a statement from the chairperson of the departmental committee on administration and national security regarding the delayed release of the autopsy report of the late inspector Walter Nyankieya Nyamato, Force no. 2008070300, who was found dead in his hotel room in Washington, DC, USA on February 13, 2024," said Mr Gisairo.

Accordingly, the lawmaker requested to be informed of under what circumstances the National Police Service dispatched officers, including the late, to the Republic of Haiti despite there being a court order barring the government from doing so.

Mr Gisairo wants the government to explain why it has taken "inordinately long for the autopsy report to be provided to the family" and when exactly should the family expect the report and have the body of their loved one repatriated for a decent send-off.

National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi stressed MP Gisairo's averments, noting that it "very raises weighty issues".

MP Wandayi submitted that it is in bad taste for the police department to give a
conflicting statement on the reason as to why the deceased had travelled outside the country when the family, whom the officer spoke to directly ahead of his trip, was informing the country that their kin was on a reconnaissance mission to Haiti.

"If it is indeed true that he was part of a mission to Haiti, who authorised that mission in the clear face of a court order that any police mission to Haiti remains unconstitutional until certain conditions are met under the law and the constitution?" Paused Mr Wandayi.

The Ugunja lawmaker asked the Speaker of the House to direct the chairperson of the departmental committee on administration and national security to compel Prof Kindiki to explain to the House and the country, how the "helpless officer found himself dead in a foreign land on a mission that remains unclear".

"You compel the Cabinet Secretary responsible (Prof Kindiki) to come here and explain to this house how an officer - from the great land of Omogusii - who is just struggling with life was mistreated to death".

[email protected]