IG Boinnett's Deputy, Joel Kitili orders withrawal of security details for former MPs and Raila Odinga
The drastic change pushed Raila to hire private security.
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The purge extends to the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who has already resorted to engaging a private security.
In an order to all regional commanders, IG Boinnett’s Deputy Mr Joel Kitili said the move was as a result of “the severe personnel constraints currently facing the service arising from growing demand to respond to a number of security challenges”.
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This means that the lawmakers of the 11th parliament members will have their security details struck off. Mr Kitili instructed that only one officer should be assigned to each member of the National Assembly and the Senate.
The leaked document, dated September 25, also instructed the commanders to recall officers assigned to guard former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, a daily reported.
Mr Odinga, Mr Kalonzo and Mr Mudavadi are opposition National Super Alliance (Nasa) co-principals.
“The three former holders of the defunct offices will retain only one officer as bodyguard, and officer to guard only one designated residence at night,” says the circular, signed by Mr Benson Kibui on behalf of Mr Kitili.
On Monday, Mr Odinga’s security team was scaled down, a day to the anti-IEBC protests in Nairobi, a move that angered the former Premier, prompting him to urgently engage a private firm to guard him.
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Over the past two days, Nasa leaders have criticised the move, saying it was a ploy by President Kenyatta to intimidate and frustrate members of the opposition.
In the new raft of rationalizing personnel, the National Police Service also asked the commanders to review the number of officers deployed to guard private premises such as financial institutions.
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