Quick Reaction Unit Officers Decry Years of Broken Promises and Hostile Working Conditions
A group of police officers drawn from a tactical deployment in Kenya's northwestern counties has come forward with complaints over prolonged service under what they describe as increasingly hostile conditions, including the withdrawal of basic supplies, unfulfilled allowances and neglect by top leadership.
The officers, who identify as members of a special operations outfit known as the Quick Reaction Unit (QRU), say they number around 800 and were deployed six years ago after undergoing specialized training.
They claim the promised allowances and welfare packages have never materialized and that they continue to serve in areas with limited food rations, no water supplies, and without regular rotation or field visits by senior commanders.
According to their message, mental health distress and lack of motivation are now widespread within the ranks.
Their grievances also include being denied unit-specific allowances despite being officially designated as a tactical unit.
"Hi Nyakundi. We have an issue of long service at northwestern places as police officers special unit called QRU and also lack all essentials as a unit. Even food rations are a problem. Can you please air for us. We are officers, about 800, who underwent special tactical course and deployed 6 years ago at the North counties... a bucket full of promises were made by the administration of better welfare, allowances... but nothing has been seen to be achieved amidst harsh working conditions. The 20k allowances promised has never been delivered... so far rations have reduced... we are deployed without water... always begging for the same from the political class. Changeover is still an issue... officers are demoralised, mental health being part and parcel of us... despite promises made that we would be redeployed after a period of 3 years... no senior police officer has ever visited us... we've raised this through proper channels to no avail. Kindly assist. We are called a unit but no unit allowance as other units do."