Nairobi, Kenya, Feb 3 – Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome now says former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi’s security detail cannot be equal to the those assigned to his successor in the critical national security docket.
Koome said Friday in Mombasa that logic dictates that the current Interior CS Kithure Kindiki is required to have an adequate security at his disposal given the weight of his office as opposed to retired ministers.
The IG defended the scaling down as procedural as he dismissed the allegations that the move might be politically driven.
“You have heard them saying in the media that they are now retired. Even at times they have said they enjoy even driving themselves. They don’t need to wake up early because they are retired. Do you give that person the same security as that of this Cabinet Secretary in active duty who must be in the office by 6 am and who leaves office at times 10 pm? Koome asked.
“Let us be sincere. I think there is a logic in what am saying. You also need to bring up the issue of retired Inspector Generals. They are retired.”
The move comes hot on heels following ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta and his former Cabinet secretaries including Matiang’i criticism of President William Ruto’s administration.
The move to downgrade the security of the former Head of State and Ministers who served under him has elicited mixed reactions
Matiangi and Karanja Kibicho were always on crossroads with Ruto when he served as Deputy President, often scaling down his security and publicly telling him off as he sharpened his ambitions to succeed Kenyatta in elections.
