NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 22 – Newly appointed Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere on Tuesday made far-reaching changes in the force to replace vacant positions that were created by the recent top-level appointments by President Mwai Kibaki.
He appointed William Saiya Atschwenje of the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) to become General Service Unit (GSU) commandant.
Mr Saiya will be replaced at the ASTU by his deputy Michael Remi Ngugi.
The Nairobi Provincial Police Officer (PPO) John Njue Njagi has been moved to Nyanza to swap places with Antony Kibuchi.
A statement from Police headquarters said Mr Iteere has also appointed Abdul Maka Mzee to become the North Eastern Province PPO where he will replace Jonathan Kosgey who was also promoted by President Mwai Kibaki to oversee reforms at Vigilance House.
Mr Mzee was the Chief Firearms Licencing Officer, a position that has been filled by Levin Kyule Mwandi, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).
Mr Moses Nyakwama Ombati has also been moved from the City Council of Nairobi Inspectorate department and made the deputy PPO Nairobi area to replace Julius Ndegwa who was also promoted recently by President Kibaki and named Head of Police Operations at Police headquarters.
The new police commissioner has also named Solomon Makau as deputy commandant, ASTU.
Police Spokesman Erick Kiraithe said more changes would be announced in due course.
Sources told Capital News the changes were supposed to be released last Friday but the commissioner delayed them to Tuesday for fine-tuning.
A board that vets transfers at Police headquarters has been sitting since Wednesday last week and it is understood they approved more than 50 transfers which were due to be made public in due course.
“There are more changes to come soon; that is just the beginning. The changes to come affect Superintendent of Police and above who are mainly OCPD’s and the other lot,” a source said.
About The Author
