Aggrieved police officers have been banned from using social media to air their grievances.
Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai issued the directive on Thursday.
In the memo signed by Mwangi Wanderi of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mutyambai said that he has noted with concern a rising number of police officers turning to social media to air their grievances.
“The Inspector-General has noted with a lot of concern that officers have developed a habit of using social media to advance their grievances without exhausting the laid down channels which include quality assurance/complaint and gender offices at service headquarters and the internal affairs unit,” Wanderi said in the Memo.
The notice effectively bans police officers across all ranks from airing challenges they experience on social media. It comes amid an increased number of complaints from officers on social media platforms.
It will now be a criminal offence to air grievances on social media.
“The Inspector-General has noted with a lot of concern that officers have developed a habit of using social media to advance their grievances without exhausting the laid down channels which include quality assurance/complaint and gender offices at service headquarters and the internal affairs unit,” Wanderi said in the Memo.
Section 55 of Chapter 24 of the service standing orders bans members of the service from disseminating material on social media unless it can be linked to the conduct of the official activity.
Recently, Rehema Swaleh, a police constable based at the Lang’ata Police Division decried harassment and intimidation by her bosses.
She narrated how she was forced to undertake active duty while heavily pregnant and at a time her legs were swollen and itchy.
She went on to paint a picture of police officers in distress courtesy of her bosses.
A few weeks ago, Doris Wako, a former Administration Police officer stationed in Busia resigned citing frustration from her bosses.
Wako was awarded in 2018 by President Uhuru Kenyatta after her story of taking care of 15 street children emerged.
Since then, she was subjected to ‘frustration at work’ ending up in resignation.
