The incessant murders and suicides pitting members of the National Police Service are attributed to psychological turmoil linked to their neglected welfare concerns, a police taskforce report prepared in 2016 shows.
Yester night, twin deaths were reported resulting from murder and suicide involving a General Service Unit (GSU) Police Constable Hudson Wakise attached to Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s security and his wife, a Kilimani Sub County based traffic police officer.
This is the latest murder most foul and suicide case involving members of the disciplined forces turning the guns against their spouses, fellow colleagues and their very self.
Wakise, shot and killed his wife, Pauline Wakasa, before turning the gun on himself.
Officers who visited the scene found the bodies in the sitting room within the Ruaraka GSU Camp.
They had argued over the move by Pauline to move out of the GSU camp.
She apparently moved out to the new house last weekend.
Their two children aged five and two survived the tragic incident.
Witnesses said Wakise arrived home at about 9 pm and found his wife taking supper and an argument over her decision to move out arose.
He then left and went out before walking back and shot the woman to the chest eight times.
Now, members of the National Police Service want Mutyambai to implement a taskforce report on police shootings targeting their colleagues of close relatives, which is yet to be acted upon for the sixth year now.
Similar sentiments were echoed during familiarisation tour by the IG at the General Service Unit (GSU) headquarters in Ruaraka and the Recce Company training in Ruiru in 2019.
Then, Mutyambai was hosted by GSU Commandant Douglas Kanja at GSU headquarters, Ruaraka the same protected installation Wakise killed his wife before blowing his head off.
“Every time the IG meets police officers in a bid to understand the work related challenges they are facing, concerns on the implementation of inquiry findings on police shootings is a key issue. This touches the very core of the police welfare.” A senior officer from IG office intimated.
GSU is the single biggest, elite and key unit in police operations.
According to the inquiry report, alcoholism, marital affairs, improper control of firearms and inherent stress in official duties were cited as the major causes of fatal shootings by police officers targeting their colleagues and spouses.
The report was handed over to Mutyambai’s predecessor, Joseph Boinnet in 2016 but until his exit from the service upon expiry of his term, he was yet to act on it.
The findings of the survey dubbed ‘causes of shootings by police officers targeting their colleagues’ paints a grim picture of senior commanders’ ability to handle the welfare of their juniors.
Also, administrative hiccups at the stations notably harassment, long working hours due to inadequate staffing, transfers and overstaying of officers in operational areas are seen as disciplinary actions.
“Excess consumption of alcohol by officers while on duty is one of the contributors into the causes of the shooting of officers by their colleagues. For instance, in two out of six shootings incidents that the court of inquiry examined, the assailants were under influence of alcohol at the time of the attack.” The inquiry findings show.
The Court of Inquiry No.1/2016 was chaired by Assistant Inspector General of Police Aggrey Adoli.
Boinnet formed the probe team in July 2016 vied letter reference number NPS/IG/SEC/1/2/8/4/VIL/.1/2.
Upon assuming office, Mutyambai first met NPS directors to acquaint himself with his new duties at the helm of the service and he also plans to embark on a countrywide tour of all security installations in the country.
“I am deeply pained by the tragic incident involving PC Hudson Wakise and his wife PC Pauline Wakasa both young and vibrant Police officers with brilliant futures tragically ended in their shocking demise. It’s a rude awakening to psychosocial challenges amongst some of our young officers that we have no choice but to now pay greater attention to. My sincere condolences to their families and friends.” Matiang’i said while mourning his bodyguard.
On his part, Mutyambai the couple may have had a domestic quarrel before the shooting incident.
