Why has officer commanding police division (OCPD) position been scrapped on Wednesday?
The National Police Service (NPS) scrapped the position as part of the proposed changes aimed at aligning the police geographic and operational boundaries with the current administrative boundaries.
Sub-county police commanders (SCPCs) have been created instead.
Consequently, some of the OCPDs have been deployed as SCPCs. In total, 322 SCPCs will be appointed countrywide, compared with 597 OCPDs. Nairobi County will have 11 SCPCs, down from the 14 OCPDs.
Former Kilimani OCPD Michael Muchiri will now be the SCPC Kibra, while the Kayole Division has been placed under Njiru Sub-county, with Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Wilson Kosgei in charge.
Central Police Station, which was under Mr Robinson Thuku, has been placed under Starehe Sub-county, with Stanley Peter Atavachi named the SCPC.
Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Murang’a and Nyandarua counties will have eight, five, 13, eight and seven sub-county police divisions respectively.
Mombasa County has six sub-counties: Mombasa Central (Mr Eliud Arumba) Changamwe (Mr Daudi Loronyokwe), Kisauni (Mr Julius Irungu), Likoni (Mr Benjamin Rotich), Jomvu (Mr James Mutua) and Nyali (Ms Jane Njeri Mukuria).
The changes follow President Kenyatta’s announcement on reorganising the command structure last November. They began with the senior most ranks, but have now reached the lower levels.