The National Police Service finds itself on the defensive, fighting off accusations of a cover-up masquerading as a routine reshuffle in the wake of a brutal assault scandal.

The National Police Service (NPS) has vehemently denied reports that senior officers in Nandi County were secretly transferred to Nairobi following a public outcry over a pool hall assault incident. In a strongly worded statement, police headquarters termed the circulating transfer lists as "fake," insisting that no punitive redeployments have been made connected to the Nandi Hills saga that sparked national outrage.

The controversy stems from CCTV footage that surfaced earlier this week, showing uniformed officers brutally assaulting patrons at a pool hall. The video went viral, prompting demands for accountability from Senator Samson Cherargei and human rights groups. Rumors then began to swirl that the OCPD and OCS involved had been quietly moved to "soft landing" spots in the capital rather than facing disciplinary action, a move critics labeled a "travesty of justice."

The "Fake" List Controversy

Senator Cherargei had publicly shared a document alleging that the Tinderet Sub-County Police Commander and other senior figures had been moved to stations like Lang’ata and Pangani. The Senator argued that transferring rogue officers merely "moves the problem" instead of solving it. However, the NPS response was swift and categorical: the document is a forgery, and the officers remain at their posts pending the outcome of internal investigations.

This denial has created a confusion of narratives. Is the NPS protecting its own by denying the transfers, or are political actors manufacturing documents to fuel public anger? The truth remains buried in the opaque administrative corridors of Vigilance House. What is clear, however, is that the public trust in the police to police themselves is at an all-time low.

• The Demands: Leaders and residents are calling for interdiction and prosecution of the officers caught on camera, not just administrative transfers.
• The Process: The Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) and IPOA have launched probes, but the pace of justice is agonizingly slow for the victims of the assault.

Accountability vs Public Relations

The incident has reignited the debate on police reforms. The "transfer culture"—where erratic officers are simply moved to new stations—has long been a stain on the service. By coming out to deny these specific transfers, the NPS is attempting to signal a break from that past. They are effectively saying, "We are not hiding them."

However, words must be matched by action. The residents of Nandi Hills are not interested in the administrative geography of where the officers serve; they want justice for the violence inflicted upon them. Until the officers in the video are held personally criminally liable, the denial of transfers will be seen by many as a public relations exercise rather than a genuine commitment to the rule of law.