Nairobi — In recent years, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) social media pages has been awash with dramatic and juicy stories that attracted large audiences and a sizable following thanks to witty and comical storytelling techniques employed by the Investigative agency's Directorate of Public Communications.
With the advanced use of technology, the investigative agency has been leveraging the use of different social media platforms to communicate with the public on different crime incidences in the country.
In February, the agency announced that its Twitter platform had surpassed 1 million followers, a feat widely ascribed to its unique storytelling akin to fiction.
In July this year, the country's investigative arm introduced comical illustrations of crime scenes and different engagements of security agencies while fighting crime.
The DCI's social media engagement was unprecedented. Never before in the country has a security agency been as involved in social media as the investigative body.
The agency which underwent a different transformation in recent years had explained that the new storytelling techniques was part of the wider efforts to humanize the police force.
The agency also rolled out the #FichuakwaDCI 0800 722 203 platforms which have been used by members of the public to report crimes and raise alarm in case they are in distress.
While commenting on the establishment of the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs unit the Ex-DCI boss said that the department ensured that the public was constantly kept abreast of the agency's daily operations, "making our communication platforms some of the most sought after sources of security related information."
"The interactive social media pages attracted the attention of international media outlets that also told our story, earning the Directorate pride and recognition," Kinoti said.
However, as Kinoti exits, the once active Facebook and Twitter pages have gone silent after President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua assumed office.
While some Kenyans supported the agency's new strategy, others argued that it was dramatizing crime and 'inhuman' singling out instances of murder in which the agency comically recounted the circumstances that led to the particular event.
During their past campaigns, before the August 9 polls, President Ruto and his Deputy had pledged to relook into the way the criminal agency operates after accusing them of being weaponized against political opponents in the run-up to elections.
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The latest pronouncement by the second in Command about the operations of the DCI could mark the end of comical storytelling.
On Sunday, Gachagua said the country is looking forward to having a professional DCI office devoid of drama and politics.
Gachagua said that the DCI should conduct its investigations away from the full glare of the media and the public.
Speaking to Citizen TV Sunday, the Deputy President said that it was time to overhaul the way the investigative agency operates.
"We are looking for a professional DCI. Why the DCI officers are in civilian clothes is because they are supposed to be discreet so that they can carry out investigations in a discreet manner," Gachagua said.
The Deputy President spoke out against disclosing details of any investigations to the public before they are finalized.
"We want a professional DCI, who will not spend time on drama, who will not spend time on the press, who will investigate cases properly, get evidence and take people to court and get a conviction, and the details of investigations should be known by the press from the charge sheet when it is complete and finalized," he said.
The second in command further said that the Country wants the Inspector General of Police to take charge of everything that involves security.
"We want the IG to take charge. We had a situation where the DCI was like in charge of the IG, he was given too much leeway, to even seat on the IG, to even intimidate the DPP. We want the new IG to take charge of the police service," Gachagua said in a veiled reference to the former DCI Director George Kinoti who was widely accused of overstepping his mandate while at the helm of the country's investigative arm.
