Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen addresses journalists regarding security in the country on June 16, 2025 at Harambee House, Nairobi.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Eliud Lagat did not follow due procedure when filing a complaint against the late Albert Ojwang, who was killed at the Central Police Station in Nairobi.
Mr Lagat stepped aside on Monday as investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) into Ojwang’s death continue. Ojwang, a teacher by profession, was accused of operating a social media account on X that published content about the DIG.
Speaking moments before Mr Lagat stepped aside, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said that all individuals, regardless of their position, must file complaints through the appropriate channels at police stations.
“Anyone who wishes to file a complaint, whether a political leader or a senior police officer, should do so at a police station,” said Mr Murkomen.
It has emerged that Mr Lagat did not file a formal complaint at any police station against Ojwang regarding the alleged post on X. Police sources and a senior official at Ipoa told the Nation that no such complaint exists in any Occurrence Book (OB).
“So far, we have not seen any OB entry where Mr Lagat raised his concerns,” said an Ipoa official who spoke on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
Mr Lagat, who was seen as a frontrunner to succeed Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, said he was willing to “provide any support that may be required” during the investigation into what he termed an unfortunate incident.
“I have today opted to step aside from the office of the Deputy Inspector-General – Kenya Police Service pending completion of investigations. The functions of the office will henceforth be performed by my deputy until the investigations are complete,” Mr Lagat said in a statement.
An officer attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and who is familiar with the ongoing investigation said the detectives who arrested Ojwang at his home in Homa Bay County acted on a directive from their boss, Mr Amin Mohammed.
“The DCI officers who arrested him were acting on orders to bring him to Nairobi,” said the source.
While appearing before the Senate last week, Mr Amin said that Mr Lagat had filed a complaint with the DCI as any ordinary citizen would.
“I wish to confirm that, just like any other citizen, the DIG filed his complaint with the DCI concerning serious allegations that he believed affected his integrity. His only recourse was to report to the DCI for investigation,” said Mr Amin.
However, when Mr Murkomen was asked to provide the OB number and the police station where Mr Lagat had filed his report, he avoided the question, stating that the matter was now under Ipoa’s jurisdiction and was an active court case, hence he could not comment further.
Mr Lagat’s decision to step aside followed public protests last Thursday that turned chaotic. Protesters have vowed to return to the streets again today.
Last week, Mr Kanja said that Mr Lagat could only step aside after he was summoned by Ipoa to record a statement. Yesterday, moments before Mr Lagat stepped aside, Mr Murkomen had downplayed calls for his resignation, saying there was no substantial justification.
“DIG Lagat is a seasoned police officer who understands the implications of investigations, including whether his role could affect the process. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,”Mr Murkomen said.
The CS spoke as he launched a policy reform framework for the National Police Service, which includes introducing CCTV surveillance in all police stations.
“It shall be mandatory to equip police stations with CCTV surveillance to enhance transparency and accountability. All 1,209 police stations shall be equipped with CCTV within the next two years. We will propose legislation to Parliament to criminalise tampering with CCTV systems,” he said.
He added that the surveillance system will be under the custody of the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), who will be responsible for ensuring it remains operational. Any faults must be reported within one hour via the established chain of command. The CCTV systems will also be backed up externally.
Over the next year, the government also plans to digitise OBs to make case reporting traceable and tamper-proof.
Mr Murkomen also announced regular audits, evaluations and performance reviews for police officers.
“I have directed the establishment of continuous professional development training for all officers, beginning with OCSs. They will be required to undergo annual training based on constitutional standards, which will be developed into a formal curriculum,” he said.
“This marks the first step in restoring professionalism, discipline and service excellence across all ranks. To achieve this, we will work closely with the National Treasury and Parliament to secure adequate funding. It is unfortunate that training is often the first casualty when budget cuts occur,” he added.
