Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday transferred all police offices at the Isebania police station and ordered transfer of other government over insecurity at the border town.
Kindiki, accompanied by senior government officials and local leaders led an inspection at a destroyed station invaded last week by demonstrators over insecurity.
Four people were reported dead and two suffered gunshot injuries after police clashed with protesters.
He later held a public Baraza at Isebania bus park.
“We have transferred all police officers from Isebania police, last week we transferred the OCS and his deputy,” Kindiki said.
He said any police officer who used to work at the station will be transferred and “explain their action (on the violent demonstrations) elsewhere”.
He said after a closed-door security meeting, the problem of insecurity at the border town with Tanzania needed a multiagency approach which is why all government officers at other agencies like Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Anti-Counterfeit and immigration department will also be transferred.
“In the future, we will not only transfer government officers causing pain and suffering to other regions because that will be like transferring a problem, but we will also work on disciplinary action,” Kindiki said.
Last week on May 25 and 26 Isebania town was a no-go zone as the public demonstrated after a spike in insecurity.
Police said members of the public tried to invade the Isebania police station and access the armoury and release suspects, which led to several police officers being hurt and the station destroyed.
Kindiki said he left behind Sh2 million for the repair of the station, but said it was unfortunate that members of the public choose to go against the law in invading the station.
He said the trend was in bad faith as similar cases have been recorded in Kericho and Wajir.
He also cited a recent incident at the DCIO headquarters where a “group of individuals visibly intoxicated by drugs tried to release a suspect.”
“This culture is not allowed anywhere in the world and I won’t be a CS who will see Kenya slide into a banana republic, we might have grievances but invasion of a police station is illegal,” Kindiki said.
“We have accepted we had a problem with our officers, but trying to burn a police station was uncalled for even if the concerns were genuine,” he added.
He said the culture has been caused by politicians who have been ignoring the constitution and constitutional offices in illegal demonstrations.
He said they will launch a manhunt for suspects who incited the public.
The CS warned that “leaders both in government and opposition who incited the public and gave money to burn the police station will be arrested and charged in court.”
Kuria West MP Mathias Robi and Migori Deputy Governor Mahiri Gimunta said as a community, they needed more police patrols and officers not only in Isebania town but stations and posts in the area.