The National Police Service (NPS) has issued a public clarification following the circulation of a police duty roster on social media, which included the names and phone numbers of officers from a Nairobi police station.
The post, which has since been flagged for misinformation, was accompanied by misleading insinuations that the roster was intended for the arrest of protestors during recent demonstrations.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Dr. Resila Onyango, representing the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, emphasized that the circulating duty roster had no connection to the recent protests. Instead, noting that the document is part of routine administrative processes designed to manage police operations.
” We wish to clarify to the public that under Chapter 59, Paragraph 12 of the National Police Service Standing Orders, duty rosters are maintained at all sub-counties, stations, posts, outposts and traffic offices in the country for the purpose of planning and assigning responsibilities for a period,” Dr. Onyango said.
She went on to explain that the roster is primarily intended to provide a framework for documentation and accountability within the police force, helping officers coordinate and seek assistance when necessary.
“Duty rosters generally offer a framework for records and documentation of police administrative and operational processes; promote and enhance accountability of the Service; and ensure that all officers at the station are apprised on the relevant contacts in the event they require assistance in the course of their duties,” she added.
The circulating post falsely suggested that the duty roster was part of a plan to target protestors during demonstrations. Dr. Onyango strongly rebuffed these claims, stressing that the roster had no connection to such operations.
“The said duty roster had absolutely nothing to do with any general or specific task in relation to demonstrations. We therefore urge the public to refrain from spreading misinformation intended at public incitement,” she said.
She reaffirmed NPS’s commitment to professionalism and its ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of all Kenyans
