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Why police officer Doris Wako traded in the gun for fish monger’s hat
When she joined the National Police Service eight years ago, police constable Doris Wako had big dreams about her work as a law enforcer.
But she also had big plans to serve her community in a special way.
One of the things Ms Wako always wanted was to serve diligently as an officer and at the same time offer her best to improve lives in her community.
The mother of five was among 21 women who were honoured by the government for her role in helping the less privileged during the International Women’s Day in 2019.
This came after she was captured on social media platforms sharing a meal with street children in Busia County and coming up with a campaign to rehabilitate them and ensure they rejoined school.
Doris Wako with street children during her wedding at Our Lady of Grace and Compassion Primary School in Mundika, Matayos, Busia County, on August 17, 2019.
For her efforts and sacrifice, she got the Head of State Commendation (HOC).
Colourful wedding
In August, 2019, Ms Wako married the love of her life, Bernard John Mwato, a police corporal who was then serving at Karaba patrol base in Embu. The couple had dated for 21 years since their school days. They hoped for a happy marriage after they finally tied the knot in a colourful wedding at Our Lady of Grace and Compassion Primary School in Mundika, Matayos Constituency.
But as fate would have it, the couple had just been together for 19 days when the cruel hand of death struck and snatched her husband.
“I was so heartbroken, but that is life. We had just been together for slightly over two weeks when he collapsed and died,” said Ms Wako.
After the burial, she focused on her work and her children.
But the turn of events in her life has driven her to make a drastic decision to quit her job as a police officer and become a fish monger in Busia.
AP Officer Doris Wako chats with street children in Busia.
“I want nothing to do with the police because of the frustrations I have gone through with senior officers. I want peace in my life by serving the community … because of what I have gone through, I want to be my own OCS, OCPD and county police commander, by serving the community I cherish,” said Ms Wako.
Her tribulations with her senior officers began after she got a transfer from Esikulu Police Post in Busia to Lumakanda Police Station in Kakamega County. She hoped her plea to have the transfer reversed would be granted.
Vigilance House
“I travelled to Vigilance House in Nairobi to try and plead with senior officers to give me a chance to address an emergency related to my daughter, who was suffering from seizures and had undergone several surgeries to correct a cleft lip and palate,” she said.
“When I walked into the officer’s office, he gave me a stern look and asked me to explain why I didn’t want to be transferred to a new station. He told me I should stop wasting time with the ‘chokoras’ (street children) and focus on my job as a police officer,” said Ms Wako.
Before she left, the senior officer asked her why she had carried a photo of her husband, death certificate and other photos taken during his burial.
Administration Police Officer Doris Wako shares a meal with street children.
“He told me that the National Police Service was not going to wait for my husband to come back to life before they could transfer me to a new station. He told me to go back to Busia and pack my bags and head to Luanda police station, where I had been transferred to after reporting to Lumakanda,” said Ms Wako.
At that point, she decided to hand in her resignation letter.
“When the officer brought up the issue of my husband, I felt so pained and decided I would rather quit the job and pursue the dream of my life. I needed peace more than anything else,” said Ms Wako.
“I am happy selling fish at the market and mingling with the community members who care for me and appreciate what I do for the street children,” she said.
For two months now, Ms Wako has been at the market selling fish and continues to support more than 100 street children who are in her care.
Doris Wako and her husband Levy Mwato dance during their wedding on August 17, 2019.
“I have managed to rehabilitate six children and reunite them with their parents and guardians. I have started a soap-making project for those who are yet to rejoin school and that’s what makes me happy,” said Ms Wako.
But she is worried that there are plans to have her charged for allegedly disparaging the National Police Service by discussing her tribulations in the media.
“I have decided to open up because of the way I have been treated by senior officers,” said Ms Wako.
