Even before the dust of the late blogger Albert Ojwang’s killing settles down, Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Eliud Lagat is once again on the spot.
This time, KTN News has established that millions of shillings meant for police officers who provided security during the African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament in August are missing, sparking fresh outrage within the National Police Service.
According to documents seen by KTN, a total of Ksh11 million was allocated for allowances to officers deployed to secure fans and teams throughout the 28-day tournament.
The documents show that top-ranking officers were to earn between Ksh215,000 and Ksh258,000, while constables were to receive about Ksh97,000 each. However, many junior officers now claim they never received a cent.
Those who were paid have complained of meagre and unexplained deductions. One senior officer, a commissioner of police, told KTN that they were only given a flat rate of Ksh10,000, without being required to sign any acknowledgement forms.
Police DIG Eliud Lagat salutes during a past event. Photo: NTV Kenya Source: X
“We were never told where the rest of the money went,” he said.
The local organising committee for CHAN, chaired by Nicholas Musonye with Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Hussein Mohamed as deputy, confirmed that it handed over the allowance funds to the National Police Service for distribution.
However, both Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and DIG Lagat reportedly went silent when pressed to explain how the money was disbursed.
KTN’s investigation indicates that the allowances were meant to compensate officers for the long working hours and heightened security risks during the games, which attracted thousands of fans across the country. Yet, months later, several officers say they are still waiting for their payments.
The scandal has deepened Lagat’s woes, coming just as he battles a separate court petition seeking his removal from office over the murder of blogger Albert Ojwang, a case that continues to cast a shadow over his leadership.
As pressure mounts, Lagat faces growing anger from within the police ranks, with junior officers accusing him of presiding over what they term a “per diem rip-off”.
Neither Lagat nor the Inspector General has issued any official statement regarding the missing funds.
