The government has established a new police unit to assist chiefs in carrying out operations in villages.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen will introduce the National Government Administration Unit (NGAPU) in Kwale on Friday, January 24.

Officials mentioned that Murkomen and Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo will also present the Administration Police Service Roadmap for Service Delivery Revitalization (2025-2028) along with the National NGAPU.

NGAPU is part of the Administration Police Service and is the latest addition to the force.

In 2022, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki announced plans to assign five police officers to each chief across the country.

Kindiki stated that all 3,950 chiefs and their 9,043 assistants would receive these officers to enhance law and order in their areas.

“We aim to reorganize the relationship between National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs) and the police, ensuring that every chief has police officers to help enforce law and order,” Kindiki, who was then the CS for Interior, said.

He emphasized the government’s commitment to empowering chiefs while maintaining a balance to prevent a return to the era of powerful and notorious administrators.

This will involve providing all administrators, including commissioners, with mandatory service charters and work plans to promote competence and discourage partisan politics.

According to a draft plan, NGAPU’s main roles will include assisting National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) in managing security and fulfilling their duties in all Administrative Units.

They will also ensure security and support for NGAOs in maintaining law and order and provide protective security for government facilities.

The personnel will help enforce national policies, laws, and regulations, ensuring security during high-risk operations by NGAOs. This includes handling land disputes, enforcing regulations, combating alcohol and drug abuse, and providing security at public events like barazas.

They will also be responsible for apprehending suspects, preserving evidence, supporting NGAO in managing conflicts and peace-building efforts, and working with other law enforcement agencies for coordinated responses to incidents.

They will make sure to follow national guidelines related to public safety and protective security, as well as carry out any lawful orders from authorities.

The Unit Headquarters is located in Nairobi, with additional formations at Regional, County, Sub County, Divisional, and Locational levels.

APS has established various units, including the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, the Camel Unit, the Rapid Deployment Unit, the Border Patrol Unit, the APS Stock Theft Prevention Unit, and the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit.

Within the Border Patrol Unit, there are AP Special Forces, which include the Special Recce Team (SRT), the Special Operations Group (SOG), and the Camel Cavalry Team, along with SWAT.

All units report to the Deputy Inspector General of APS, who in turn reports to the Inspector General.

A village in the Kamayoge area of Rusinga Island, Suba North Sub-county, is in shock after a woman’s body was found murdered near Kiahera Hill.

Residents discovered the body on Thursday morning.

Witnesses reported that the body had signs of a struggle.

Authorities have secured the area as they start investigating the murder.

Local resident Joseph Manyatta expressed worry about increasing insecurity, recalling a similar case from last December.

“It’s sad to see this happen again. Last year, another woman’s body was left in this same place. We are beginning to think this is becoming a pattern,” he said.

“We hope this area is not turning into a dumping ground,” he added.

Residents are urging authorities to improve security and ensure the culprits are caught.

Police confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that justice will be pursued.

Disorder prevailed in certain areas of Nakuru on Thursday amid protests concerning the disappearance of fisherman Brian Odhiambo.

Odhiambo has been unaccounted for over a week, following his alleged abduction by suspected state agency personnel.

On Thursday, law enforcement officials reported that they had interrogated several individuals connected to the case as part of their ongoing investigation.

Despite this, a scheduled protest escalated into violence, with residents clashing with police in running skirmishes throughout Nakuru Town East.

Frustrated demonstrators set fire to sections of Lake Nakuru National Park in their demand for the immediate release of the missing fisherman.

The protests, which marked their fifth consecutive day on Thursday, resulted in multiple students from Kimathi Secondary School requiring medical attention after suffering from the effects of tear gas deployed by security forces to disperse the crowd.

Odhiambo was last seen on Saturday, January 18, 2025, with local residents asserting that he was forcibly taken away by officers.

Initially, Kenya Wildlife Service personnel and anti-riot police were dispatched to restore order, but they soon requested additional support from neighboring sub-counties to manage the unrest.

Protesters erected barricades and ignited bonfires, obstructing access to Lake Nakuru National Park with stones.

In response, police resorted to the use of live ammunition and tear gas canisters fired into the air in an attempt to disperse the demonstrators.

The situation intensified when protesters breached the park through the Langa Langa 46 area, leading to further arson.

Local leaders and human rights advocates have expressed concern over what they perceive as a lack of urgency in the police’s investigative efforts.

The fate of Brian Odhiambo remains uncertain, as authorities have disclosed that 13 officers are under investigation in connection with the case.

Law enforcement indicated that the case file will be forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions with accompanying recommendations.

Regional police commanders convened meetings to strategize on how to effectively address the ongoing situation.

The police have announced that the case file will be forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, accompanied by recommendations.

Regional police commanders convened to strategize on how to effectively tackle the matter at hand.

Police commander Jasper Ombati indicated that specialists are managing the situation and called for calm and patience among the public.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has responded to worries about the recent recall of police officers from the Judiciary Police Unit.

He explained that the officers were either sent for training after their promotions or were transferred to different stations as part of standard procedures.

Kanja noted that some officers have been assigned to the Chief Justice while others prepare for their promotional courses.

His comments came shortly after Chief Justice Martha Koome accused the government, specifically the Ministry of Interior, of withdrawing her security detail.

Kanja mentioned that a lack of coordination resulted in the officers assigned to the Chief Justice leaving before replacements arrived, creating a gap in security.

However, staff members from the Judiciary claim their questions about these changes were not taken seriously.

In a statement, Koome called the IG’s actions an attack on the Judiciary and the Chief Justice’s office. She expressed her deep concerns in a letter to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Police IG Douglas Kanja.

Koome argued that this decision undermines the independence of the Judiciary and threatens the safety of judicial officers nationwide.

Chief Justice Martha Koome has accused the government, specifically the Ministry of Interior, of removing her security detail. She views this action as an attack on the Judiciary and her position as Chief Justice.

In a letter sent on Thursday to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Police IG Douglas Kanja, Koome expressed her deep concern about this situation.

Koome stated that this decision not only disrespects the independence of the Judiciary but also threatens the safety of judicial officers nationwide.

“I am deeply concerned about the removal of security for the Chief Justice—this act undermines judicial independence, threatens the integrity of institutions, and jeopardizes democratic progress,” Koome remarked.

“Government bodies have a serious responsibility to serve the public with resources funded by taxpayers. This means that no institution or official should face intimidation, coercion, or interference from another government branch.”

Koome emphasized that security for her office is not a personal benefit but a necessary measure to ensure the Judiciary operates independently and safely.

She also pointed out that the Interior Ministry has cut the number of officers assigned to the Judiciary Police Unit, which was established in 2021 to protect judicial officers.

Koome expressed concern about the negative message these actions from the Ministry of Interior send to the public.

She called on the National Police Service and other relevant authorities to promptly restore her security detail without conditions.

Additionally, she urged that the Judiciary Police Unit be strengthened to address the growing need for judicial security, especially given the rise in attacks on judges and judicial officers in court.

Grace Njoki, one of the women who interrupted Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa’s press briefing at Afya House last week, has been arrested for causing a disturbance.

Njoki is currently being held at Capitol Hill Police Station, previously known as Nairobi Area. She was arrested while seeking medical care at a hospital in Eastleigh.

Her son, George Mulei, had earlier reported that his mother was taken while applying for knee surgery at Ladnan Hospital.

“While she was applying, she called me, panicking and saying that people claiming to be DCI officers had ‘come for her.’ I rushed to Ladnan Hospital, but when I got there, they told me she had already been ‘taken.’ We don’t know where she is now,” George said in his alert to the media.

In a later interview with Citizen TV, he shared that his mother has serious health issues that could worsen due to the stress from her unexpected arrest and treatment by the police.

“My mom has high blood pressure, diabetes, and a heart condition. The trauma from this situation is affecting her, and I’m really worried about her health. I just want her to be safe and released, and to know what charges are against her. She deserves her day in court, but the way they treated her was harsh. We appreciate Ladnan Hospital for trying to help, but the police were very aggressive,” George explained.

The family lawyer, Johnston Daniel Junior, mentioned that police have forced Njoki to write statements under pressure, and he is not aware of their content. He added that she is expected to be charged with creating a disturbance and resisting arrest, and that she has been denied cash bail. So far, only her husband has been allowed to visit her at the police station.

He dismissed the accusations, stating that Njoki’s actions at Afya House were simply those of a concerned citizen exercising her rights by visiting public government offices.

“The son got a call from her around 5 PM from police officers who were pretending to have a discussion with her, but then they arrested her. They did not identify themselves, explain the charges, or wait for her lawyer to arrive. They have pressured her to write statements that we are unaware of. We reject any claims they say she has made,” he said.

“Additionally, this is a woman who was coming to schedule a leg operation for tomorrow. She was speaking with her doctor today to confirm it. It is inhumane to send 12 to 15 officers to arrest her over charges that wouldn’t lead to more than six months. They haven’t even tried to ask her to come in voluntarily, and she has refused.”

Njoki was one of two women who last Wednesday went to the Ministry of Health to express their concerns about the lack of progress in establishing the Social Health Authority (SHA).

They voiced their frustrations with the new health coverage, which they claimed was ineffective.

They also complained about having to navigate through various hospital offices and being forced to visit SHA offices without any success.