Police post in Mwea shut down over Sh2m rent arrears

Riandira Police Post in Mwea-West subcounty, Kirinyaga County, has been shut down due to outstanding rent payments.

Residents expressed concern after learning that the police post, which had served the community for eight years, had been closed.

Mwea-West Subcounty Police Commander Rashid Ali confirmed the closure, assuring residents that security arrangements would remain in place.

Ali stated that residents will be served by Rukanga police post, located four kilometers away.

 “As residents of Riandira, we are worried that if the police leave, there will be a lot of lawlessness in the area,” a local said.

They said they may not know much about the agreement the police had with the landlord but maintained that officers should not leave.

“We want the rent to be paid so that officers can continue to operate in the area,” one resident said.

She warned that there would be an increase in cases of muggings and cattle theft should the police leave.

They appealed for the intervention of local leadership on the matter.

Reports indicate that six officers previously stationed at the post were transferred after rent arrears accrued to over Sh2 million.

The premises, owned by a businessman who passed away in 2018, had been used by law enforcement for an extended period.

According to sources, the landlord’s family requested rent payments following his passing.

"Before my father died, he instructed that rent should be paid starting from 2018. The arrears have since accumulated, prompting us to reclaim the property and rent it out to others," a family member told a local media outlet.

This development follows reports from Uasin Gishu County, where a man was allegedly found operating an unauthorized patrol base painted in National Police Service colors.