NAIROBI, Kenya – Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Eliud Lagat has announced a raft of changes within the Kenya Police Service, including the creation of two new directorates to focus on gender protection and officers’ mental health.
Speaking at Vigilance House on Monday, Lagat said the Directorate of Community Policing, previously headed by Senior Assistant Inspector General Judy Lamet, has been split to form two separate units — the Children and Gender Protection Unit and the Counselling Unit.
Lamet will remain at the helm of Community Policing, while Dolly Onyango has been appointed Director of the Children and Gender Protection Unit, which will specifically handle cases of gender-based violence and crimes against children.
In a significant move aimed at tackling rising mental health concerns in the service, Lagat unveiled the Counselling Unit to be led by Evelyne Njeri, a trained counsellor.
The unit will address mental health challenges among officers — an issue long cited as a contributor to police suicides, homicides, and strained service delivery.
Past research shows that at least 10 per cent of police officers struggle with mental health-related issues, prompting calls for institutional support. “This menace has to be addressed with urgency,” an official at the meeting said.
At the same time, the Directorate of Chaplaincy and Psychosocial Support was split, with former chaplaincy head Dr. Vincent Makoha redeployed to police headquarters.
Beyond the directorate reforms, Lagat also announced key personnel changes:
- Clinton Kimaiyo, formerly Deputy Head of the RECCE Unit, is now the Murang’a County Police Commander. He is tasked with leading crackdowns on illicit brews, violent land invasions, and rising crime, including theft at the expansive Del Monte pineapple farm. He replaces Benjamin Kimwele, who has been recalled to headquarters.
- In the Rift Valley, Michael Ndiaga takes over as Deputy Regional Police Commander, succeeding Joel Lekuta, who has been moved to the Logistics Department at Vigilance House.
Lagat indicated that the reshuffle was part of a broader reorganisation aimed at boosting police efficiency and improving service delivery.
“More changes are expected in the coming weeks,” he said.
