Groups condemn transfers of assault police officers

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Activists from the Police Reforms Working Group Kenya (PRWG‑K) and Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei have condemned the transfer of police officers implicated in beating of residents.

They warned that transferring officers instead of holding them accountable fuels a culture of impunity.

PRWG‑K said the reported relocation of officers implicated in the brutalisation of civilians undermines efforts to enforce accountability and respect for human rights.

“Administrative transfers are not a form of accountability; they merely relocate officers accused of violence, putting other communities at risk,” the group said in a statement on Monday, noting similar reports of excessive force in other parts of the country.

Senator Cherargei has taken a similar stance.

He told journalists that administrative reshuffles cannot substitute for disciplinary or criminal action against officers accused of brutality.

“After what was portrayed as administrative action, the officers were only ‘rewarded’ with mere transfers instead of being subjected to disciplinary action or prosecution,” Mr Cherargei said.

He described the approach as a “travesty of justice” if not accompanied by real accountability.

The controversy stems from an incident captured on CCTV in Nandi Hills, in which police officers were seen forcefully handling young men playing pool late at night.

The footage sparked widespread public outrage and renewed debate over the use of excessive force by the National Police Service.

PRWG‑K said simply moving officers accused of wrongdoing does not address the root problems of supervision lapses, weak disciplinary enforcement, and failure to deter misconduct.

The group emphasised that under the National Police Service Act, serious allegations of abuse should be met with formal investigations and, where appropriate, interdiction or suspension rather than mere transfers.

The activists also warned that senior officers who authorise, condone, or fail to prevent misconduct bear command responsibility, and could be held liable if transferred officers repeat abuses in new postings.

Senator Cherargei has echoed calls for stronger action, arguing that disciplinary and criminal proceedings must follow serious allegations rather than reshuffles.

He has insisted that officers captured in the Nandi Hills footage should face prosecution and that police leadership must be held to account for how the incident was handled.

Police have disputed some claims about transfers, which has added to public scrutiny over the status of disciplinary action following the incident.