13Former police spokesperson Jasper Ombati is the new police boss in the vast Rift Valley region.
Mr Ombati replaces Mr Tom Odero in new changes that were on the evening of Friday, June 8, 2024 announced by Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome.
Mr Odero has been recalled to police headquarters in Nairobi awaiting new assignments.
Until his new role, Mr Ombati had been serving as the Italian United Nations office as a senior security advisor.
In February, he jetted back to the country following the completion of his assignment and he was named the commandant of Kenya Railways and Port Police.
This role made him in charge of all officers working in the railways sector and also those places on various ports across the country.
In his replacement as the Kenya Railways and Ports police boss was named Mr Allan Sangoro.
Before his move to railways, Mr Sangoro was based at the United Nations office in Ethiopia.
Mr Odero was moved to the Rift Valley ahead of the August 2022 General elections in changes that were made by former Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai at a time when the Interior Ministry was being headed by Dr Fred Matiang’i.
The Rift Valley region is currently on the spot over banditry menace that has even seen schools closed for months.
Mr Odero’s focus while serving in Rift Valley was all on matters of banditry where he led a multi-agency team to tackle the challenge that has led to the loss of lives and shed of blood.
Mr Ombati is now expected to fit in his shoes and deal with the challenge that even forced President William Ruto to order that military officers are deployed to the affected areas.
For months now, bandits have been engaging police officers in running battles and at times even attacking villages in some sections of Rift Valley.
