5,000 officers to be used in VIP security

By ANGIRA ZADOCK zangira@ke.nationmedia.com

Posted  Sunday, April 14  2013 

The number of police officers deployed to protect politicians and other VIPs is set to rise from 2,000 to 5,000 — representing more than five per cent of the total number of 70,000 officers in the police service.

This is according to proposals in a new policy paper on VIP protection commissioned amid reports that too many officers were deployed on non-core duties when there was a serious shortage of police officers on the beat.

The ‘Policy on Provision of Security to VIPs and other State Officers’ document seeks to regulate the manner in which VIP protection is handled to avoid abuse.
Some VIPs have requested for more officers than they actually need while others use them to run errands and undertake domestic chores.

The large number proposed is based on the need to provide security to the 14 Cabinet secretaries likely to be named this week, as well as 343 MPs, 67 senators, 94 county governors and their deputies, various holders of constitutional offices and heads of parastatals, among others.

The Inspector General of the National Police Service, Mr David Kimaiyo, on Sunday told the Nation that the shortfall in the number of police officers needed would be bridged with the graduation of 7,000 officers from training colleges later in the year.

“Additional officers will also be recruited as soon as the ones currently undergoing training are through,” he said.

He also revealed that the security detail for the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka will be scaled down. Former VP Moody Awori still has 12 security officers assigned to him.

Mr Kimaiyo said that VIPs, including the Women Representatives, would be entitled to at least five security officers each to provide round the clock protection.

“We will assess the threat level of other VIPs and deploy accordingly,” he said.

Mr Kimaiyo warned the VIPs accorded the privilege against engaging the officers in non-core duties. He also advised them to always be accompanied by the officers.

“We have had cases where officials leave behind their bodyguards and end up being carjacked,” he said.

Commenting on an earlier proposal by former Kilgoris MP Gideon Konchella that each constitutional office holder be entitled to not more than two armed security officers during and after their terms, Mr Kimaiyo said levels of threat were not uniform. “We even have some officials who have requested that their security detail be reduced,” he said.

Last month, Mr Kimaiyo and the head of Public Service Francis Kimemia had expressed concern about the numbers of officers assigned to guard VIPs.

“It will not be fair to allocate more officers to provide security to VIPs at the expense of citizens. We may reduce the number of bodyguards but that is a policy issue that we are looking into for now,” Mr Kimaiyo said.

Mr Kimemia had said there could be a crisis over the number of officers deployed to VIPs against those available to protect the public
.