Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has reprimanded the National Police Service for evicting squatters who were illegally occupying a piece of land in Kiriko village in Rongai, Nakuru County on Wednesday.
A court had in 2022 issued an order mandating the police to evict the families from a 434-acre piece of land that belongs to Ngenia Farmers Company. The order was issued following the conclusion of a case that began in 1979.
The matter however took a political angle after Rongai MP Paul Chebor and Subukia MP Kinuthia Gachobe rushed to the DP’s office to seek his intervention.
As a result, Nakuru Police boss Peter Mwanzo was promptly recalled to Vigilance House in order to await further instructions. The DP has today confirmed that Mwanzo was transferred because of the demolition and that he will be punished.
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“Any police commander who conducts such evictions without consulting the County security and intelligence committee will be acting alone. We’ve already removed the county police commander who oversaw the operations and we will take action against him,” said Gachagua.
“I want to tell officers who have such habits to change immediately. The regime of oppression and brutal evictions is a thing of the past since the current government cares,” said the DP.
According to Gachagua, before evicting the families, police should have deliberated on ways to temporarily relocate them to new grounds.
“If there is a court order they should take it to a police intelligence committee so they can deliberate on where the evicted persons will go,” he said.
