New DCI head move to give public his personal phone number commendable
The Mt Kenya Times 
DCI boss Mohamed Amin
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- There are those who would welcome the move, saying this was a man who understood his job. For now, we need not to worry. We have his number and he is ready to help us when we were in trouble. This is the first time in our history we have a head of DCI who had agreed to share his number with the public.
- For others, the DCI is feared office. So, it is only a stupid or a person of unsound mind who would joke with the head. When you call the number, you should bear one thing in mind. He is seeing where you are and what you are doing.
A few days ago, the members of the National Police Service Commission [NPSC] conducted a rigorous vetting of the shortlisted 10 candidates for the position of the head of Directorate of Criminal Investigations [DCI].
This followed the resignations of Mr George Kinoti who had been appointed to serve in that position by the outgoing President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta.
During the campaigns, the relationship between Kinoti and top leadership of Dr Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza coalition had taken a turn for the worse. For this reason, the writing was on wall that Kinoti was on his way out.
For the new DCI boss Mohamed Amin, one thing was clear; he seemed to have a different strategy in the way he wanted to perform his duties.
The first step was to share his personal phone number with members of the public. In doing this, his message was very clear. He wanted to lead a directorate that was responsive to the needs of Kenyans wherever they were. This is in terms of carrying out investigations in real time, tracking down criminals and processing them for their day in court.
The number will help to ensure immediate action is taken once a crime has been reported.
Mr Amin had made the pronouncement just some hours after President William Ruto invoked the powers conferred on him by the constitution and formally appointed him.
As a writer and political commentator, I have since been interacting with many people and the reactions would be varied.
There are those who would welcome the move, saying this was a man who understood his job. For now, we need not to worry. We have his number and he is ready to help us when we were in trouble. This is the first time in our history we have a head of DCI who had agreed to share his number with the public.
For others, the DCI is feared office. So, it is only a stupid or a person of unsound mind who would joke with the head. When you call the number, you should bear one thing in mind. He is seeing where you are and what you are doing.
The DCI is nowadays using a high-tech surveillance and communication gadgets. So, if he needs you, this will happen at a speed of lighting. You will just see the officers surrounding you and telling you. You are under arrest, get handcuffed and drove way with you.
Why fear if you are doing the right thing? You never know. We might be caught enjoying our drinks at busaa and changaa dens. You know this stuff is not allowed? Again, the officer [s] may opt to fix you after a disagreement arose, this will give him a good opportunity.
For this reason, they would not even want to know the number because it can land you ‘in a big trouble’.
What does this tell you? The much touted reforms in police force were yet to gain foothold. Kenyans were still treating a huge chunk of the officers as their enemies despite numerous promises by previous administration to create a people friendly outfit.
What has changed is only the name from the police force to the National Police Service. This most important thing is to change the behavior and thinking of the officers. We hope Amin is ready to walk the talk in introducing genuine reforms. We wish him well.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a writer and political commentator based in Nairobi
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