The recent announcement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) regarding the Ol Kalou by-election has once again raised a familiar question in Kenya. Why does every political incident now require the formation of a “special team”?
This question was recently posed by the Nyakundi Report, highlighting a growing concern among citizens about the efficiency and cost of such investigations.
According to the Nyakundi Report, DCI Spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga confirmed that a special team has been assigned to investigate what happened during the Ol Kalou by-election.
While this might seem like a standard procedure, it has sparked a debate about the necessity and effectiveness of these special units. Kenyans are right to ask what makes this team so special.
Is it their expertise, their resources, or simply a new name for the same officers who are already on the ground?
The core of the issue is the existing structure. There are already police officers and DCI personnel stationed in Nyandarua County.
These officers are legally mandated to investigate crimes and maintain law and order.
So, when a political incident occurs, one would expect these local officers to handle the case. They know the area, they know the people, and they are already being paid by the taxpayer to do this job. Creating a new team from headquarters often seems like a duplication of effort.
This practice of forming special teams for every major political event is becoming a pattern. It makes one wonder if the regular officers are not trusted to do their jobs or if the existing structures are so broken that they cannot function without intervention from Nairobi.
In either case, it is a bad sign for the efficiency of our public institutions. It suggests a lack of confidence in our local police and a top-down approach that may not always be the most effective.
Furthermore, there is the question of cost.
Every time a special team is formed, it comes with extra expenses. There are travel costs, accommodation allowances, per diems, and other logistical needs. These are additional costs that the public has to bear.
When we already have officers on the ground who are being paid to do this work, why should we spend more public money to bring in a new team?
As the Nyakundi Report rightly pointed out, public money is not free money. Every shilling spent on these extra teams is a shilling that could have been used for other essential services like healthcare, education, or infrastructure.
The DCI needs to be more transparent with the public. Kenyans deserve to know exactly why the existing officers cannot handle the investigation.
Is it a matter of capacity, resources, or impartiality?
If the local officers lack the skills or tools to do the job, then the solution should be to permanently upgrade their capabilities, not to bypass them every time there is a high-profile case.
If the issue is impartiality, then that points to a deeper problem within the police force that needs systemic reform, not temporary fixes.
While the DCI may have good intentions in forming these special teams, the practice is becoming costly and raises serious questions about the effectiveness of our existing police structures.
