Police defend move to evict junior officers from houses

A senior police officer in Nakuru has dismissed claims that the rights of junior officers and their families were violated during a recent eviction from police houses at Kasarani within Nakuru town.

Nakuru County Police Commander Mr Stanley Kilonzi said they were forced to carry out the eviction operation after the officers, whose stay had expired, refused to vacate to create rooms for others.

The operation, according to Mr Kilonzo, was conducted by fellow police officers who understand the law.

Mr Kilonzi was reacting to complaints by a human rights lobby group that accused the police of carrying out the operation in an inhumane manner.

Last Saturday, a confrontation ensued at the police quarters where police officers used force to remove the families and their household items from the houses.

Some families were forced to sleep outside for some time as they pondered their next move.

Nakuru County Human Rights Network CEO David Kuria had raised concerns that the police were using goons to evict the families.

He accused the officers of violating the rights of the families by throwing them out of the houses without considering the fate of their children.

“We are concerned that the people who were being used to carry out the operation did not consider the plight of the young children and mothers as they forcefully threw them out of the houses,” said Mr Kuria.

Notified

Mr Kilonzi, however, noted that the families had been notified in time but chose to ignore the notice, which expired last week.

“It is a policy that if a police officer retires or transfers from a station, he or she needs to vacate from the houses to create space for their colleagues who are coming in. However, there are some of the officers who decide not to leave the houses thus creating a lot of confusion,” said Mr Kilonzi.