Fallen heroes honoured: Widow of DCI officer who died in 2023 speaks

 

Sarafina Kemunto received the devastating news at her Suneka residence in Bonchari sub-county, Kisii.

Her husband, Andrew Makora Nyakundi, a dedicated member of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), had been shot dead by a suspected robber on August 8, 2023.

Speaking from Nairobi West Hospital in Lang’ata sub-county, Nyakundi spoke to his wife about the harrowing details of the incident.

“He seemed to be in a lot of pain, for the first time I even heard my husband crying. I could not believe it and everything stopped and I started planning how to get to Nairobi,” said Ms Kemunto, underlining the emotional toll the situation had taken.

Reflecting on her loss in the aftermath of the tragic incident on October 9, 2023, Ms Kemunto said, “I lost the man I really loved, he was always there not only for me and his parents but also for my own parents. This is a death that has hit me so hard”.

Mr Nyakundi was part of a team of detectives tasked with apprehending a most wanted criminal in Nyanza. He succumbed to complications from a gunshot wound sustained during a shootout.

The suspect, identified as Duncan Ochieng Ndinya, was successfully neutralised by the dedicated team despite inflicting injuries on Mr Nyakundi and three other colleagues.

The grieving widow, Ms Kemunto, was among 37 families who attended a solemn ceremony in honour of fallen police officers at the Embakassi Training College.

The event, officiated by Prof Kithure Kindiki, saw families pleading with the government for help, seeking jobs, scholarships and, crucially, medical insurance.

“We plead with the government to help us access scholarships and the most important of all, medical insurance, because we are now exposed,” the families’ petition highlighted.

Statistics presented at the ceremony showed that terrorism-related incidents and crimes such as robbery were the main causes of the officers’ tragic deaths.

In 2023, a total of 37 officers lost their lives in the line of duty, a decrease from the previous year’s figure of 54.

Home Affairs CS Prof Kithure Kindiki assured the families that the government was committed to improving the capacity of the police.

A substantial allocation of Sh37 billion has been earmarked for the acquisition of modernised weapons and equipment for both the police and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

Prof Kindiki also announced the launch of a Benevolent Fund project to provide financial assistance to families who lose loved ones in the line of duty. The Inspector General of Police, Japheth Koome, stressed the need for police officers to protect themselves and warned against officers breaking the law.

“Whenever they encounter such criminals, they should not think twice and let the suspects shoot first. They should protect themselves at all costs,” he advised.

In a stern warning, Mr Koome emphasised zero tolerance for officers who abuse their authority, citing an incident in Nakuru County where a police officer shot dead a barmaid over an unpaid bill. He called for swift legal action against such individuals.

The Inspector General concluded by warning against drug abuse, irresponsible borrowing, and peer pressure among officers, acknowledging that these behaviours tarnish the reputation of the police.

By Nyaboga Kiage