The murder of security officer Kipyegon Kenei, who worked in the office of Deputy President William Ruto, has galvanised public attention in the past two weeks. It was not the usual death. On the contrary, it was linked to some high-stake deal.
Initial reports pointed towards a suicide theory as, evidently, promoters of that view sought to mislead the public.
However, the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti has demolished that theory, providing graphic evidence to show that the death was linked to underhand transactions at the office of the DP by high-profile individuals.
Mr Kinoti’s evidence suggests that Sergeant Kenei was at the centre of the alleged arms transaction that was spearheaded by former Cabinet Secretary Richard Echesa. That matter is already being prosecuted in court.
What concerns us here is the amount of vitriol that has since been spewed following Mr Kinoti’s public revelation of the events during the transaction at the DP’s office. Dr Ruto took to the social media to castigate Mr Kinoti, accusing him of high drama and, by extension, hyperbole.
His supporters in the now divided Jubilee House took cue and descended on Mr Kinoti with vengeance, accusing him of, among other things, playing to the public gallery but singularly failing to do thorough investigations on the matter.
Since his office is in the spotlight, Dr Ruto has the right to defend himself and his officers. But there is a line between explaining a position and attacking a public officer. The DP is the second in command in the country.
By extension, all public officials are under his command. When those officers make mistakes or act in a manner that suggests they goofed, there are structures for dealing with them.
Never, however, is it contemplated that the DP would direct personal attack on a public official and act in a manner to suggest that he is helpless when he is the President’s substantive and principal assistant.
Matters are worse when politicians seize themselves of such issues and rail against public officers. It is demeaning and erodes the public’s confidence in those officers and their institutions.
Criminal investigation is a sensitive matter. What investigative officers do is not a subject for public debate. The outcomes are used for prosecuting cases in court.
This is why we are alarmed when the DCI and his officers are pilloried because the matter they are investigating revolves around DP’s office.
The point is that professionals should be allowed to do their work without political interference. Intimidating public officials and subjecting them to public ridicule undermines good governance.
We are entering a dangerous threshold where every matter, irrespective of its nature, is perceived along political lines. This has to stop.
Credit: Source link