CARING FOR THE PROTECTOR

Abstract

A contingent of one hundred and seven (107) Police Officers and forty six (46) Kenya Police Reservists under the command of OCPD Samburu North Police Division, Mr. Chrispinus Makhanu, SSP, was deployed in the operation. The police officers were drawn from the Kenya Police, Administration Police, General Service Unit (GSU), and Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU). A total of thirty (30) Police Officers were slain and fourteen (14) injured during the operation. Two (2) Kenya Police Constables are still missing. In addition, eight (8) Police Reservists were slain and five (5) injured in the Baragoi operation. There were no female officers involved in the operation. As of 11th April, 2014, the Pensions Directorate had received only seven (7) claims in respect of deceased Kenya Police Officers who were involved in the operation. Six (6) of them were approved for payment, while one claim was rejected for incorrect information. In spite of the approval, no payment had been made as of September 2014. The Government of Kenya facilitated the burial for sixteen (16) officers at a cost of Kenya Shillings fifty thousand (KSh. 50,000) per family. However, CAJ noted that the burials for fourteen (14) officers were not facilitated by the Government. There is no policy on compensation of the injured Police Reservists and next of kin of the deceased Police Reservists. Investigations revealed that the PPO, Mr. Mbijiwe travelled in a Police helicopter together with Mr. Joshua Karianjahi Waiganjo to Samburu for the County Security meetings discussing sensitive security matters relating to the Baragoi operation. It was reported that Mr. Joshua Karianjahi Waiganjo, sat in the security meetings, and that his presence in the meetings as a civilian may have compromised confidentiality of the Operation and exposed officers to imminent danger. CAJ investigators recovered a letter Ref. No. SEC.POL.2/1/23/Vol. VIII/123 dated 29th May, 2003 written by the then Provincial Police Officer, Mr. Kimanthi appointing Mr. Joshua Waiganjo to the rank of Assisstant Commissioner of Police in charge of Police Reservists in Northern Rift especially in Kapenguria in West Pokot, Kitale and Nakuru areas, which indicates that Mr. Waiganjo attended the security meeting in his capacity as the in-charge of the Police Reservists in the Region.