Following the disbandment of a unit attached to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), 74 detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have been transferred to different departments across Kenya, according to a letter signed by Julius Kitili, the Director of Personnel at the Directorate, on Friday, February 17.
Seven chief inspectors and 24 police inspectors were affected, having been drawn from Nairobi, Kisumu, Isiolo, Eldoret, Nakuru, and Nyeri.
They have been instructed to report to their new stations before Friday, February 24, 2023.
The move to disband the unit is reportedly linked to accusations made by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in September 2022, where he accused the DCI of creating a toxic work environment.
Gachagua called for the recalling of DCI detectives working in government offices and accused some police officers of being used by the previous government to harass elected leaders.
The unit was responsible for investigating economic crimes, detecting and preventing tax evasion and revenue leakages.
This is the third unit to be disbanded since the Kenya Kwanza administration took over power.
The Special Service Unit (SSU) was disbanded on October 16, 2022, due to accusations of being behind a wave of extrajudicial killings.
The anti-counterfeit unit was disbanded on November 23, 2022, and 37 officers were transferred to various departments.
The government’s efforts to streamline its operations and enhance service delivery are seen as the reasons behind the disbandment of these units.
Although the move has been criticized by some, it is hoped that the transfer of the 74 detectives will result in more efficient delivery of services, better use of resources, and reduced duplication of duties.
