This archive report was first published on 21 June 2021.
Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai has faced backlash over a recent edict banning police officers from discussing their grievances on social media.
During a live chat on Twitter, Mutyambai clarified that police have other channels to voice their concerns, including quality assurance/complaint and gender offices at service headquarters and the Internal Affairs Unit.
He stated that Chapter 24 Section 55 of the service standing orders prohibits information transmission by members of the service on social media unless it is clearly linked to official business.
Verbal discussions and press interviews are also prohibited, according to Mutyambai, who warned that serious disciplinary action will be taken against officers found abusing social media and sharing information with the press without proper authority.
The IG's gag order came in the wake of a scandal involving a female police officer who claimed unbearable frustration in the service, citing corruption at the Internal Affairs Unit as part of the problem.
