Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has transferred all police commanders in Kilifi County as burning question linger over how more than 100 people starved to death in Shakahola Forest land.
In a media conference on Friday, Kindiki said the mass transfer of the police bosses by the Ministry of Interior was needed to regain the trust of the Kenyan public in the government.
"To facilitate comprehensive and conclusive investigations into the Shakahola tragedy, the Government has decided to immediately transfer all Station, Divisional, Sub-County, and County heads and commanders of all agencies in Kilifi County," Kindiki announced.
He added, "This includes the Kenya Police Service, Administration Police Service and National Government Administration officers to give confidence to the ongoing operation and assure the country that there will be accountability."
The CS says the transferred police commanders will be replaced with police officers from other jurisdictions to ensure justice is served to those victimized by the Shakahola massacre.
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“We will replace them with their colleagues from elsewhere so that we can show the public that what we are doing is for the good of the country and the good of justice,” Kindiki said.
He indicated that the decision was arrived at due to the laxity and failure to collect and act on reports relating to the deaths alleged to have been caused by Pastor Mackenzie’s church.
“We are not implicating anybody but we are saying if you are the OCS, if you are the commander, or a person who ought to have either received a report or may have received a report and failed to act, then you cannot be part of the investigating team,” he warned.
He revealed that new officers are set to lead the probe from Friday night and their identities will be revealed on Friday from the police headquarters in Nairobi.
"The Government has nothing to hide and will ensure justice for the victims of this tragedy," he concluded.
This comes as the government upscaled the search and rescue efforts at Shakahola in the 50,000-acre Chakama Ranch, which is gazetted as a disturbed area and a scene of crime.
“Additional security officers have been brought on board to boost the ongoing operation to save lives of persons who could be holed up in the bushes and thickets.
“Aerial surveillance has been incorporated to enhance the capacity of the multi-agency team in the search and rescue mission.”
This comes as the Interior CS announced the suspension of the exhumation exercise in the Shakahola forest land owing to the bad weather to preserve the integrity of evidence after 103 bodies were exhumed.
