Multiple complaints are emerging about severe delays and mismanagement at the Central Police Station in Nairobi, specifically linked to the office of the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), who is said to routinely ignore the long queues of citizens waiting for assistance, showing little urgency or leadership while members of the public endure hours-long waits with no communication or resolution in sight. Public patience wears thin at Nairobi Central as complaints of delays, poor service, and absentee leadership continue to mount.
Sources describe a scene where frustrated citizens queue from early morning, only to be met with silence, shifting desks, and vague instructions to wait.
Some report spending up to three hours without being attended to even in urgent situations.
What has further fuelled public frustration is the apparent lack of internal discipline.
Junior officers and administrative staff have allegedly been overheard expressing their own dissatisfaction with the OCS’s conduct, citing poor leadership and a general lack of direction at the station. "Hello Cyprian. Central Police Station OCS office is a shit show. Delays going up to over 3 hours to get attended to. Completely unbothered. Even workmates and juniors gossip about his ineffective behaviour and disregard for the long queue of people waiting to be attended to since morning. Hide ID." This breakdown in basic service delivery comes at a time when the National Police Service is under intense public pressure over its treatment of civilians, both inside and outside police stations.
In 2025 alone, at least 20 Kenyans have died in police custody over a four-month period, according to official reports from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
Most of these deaths occurred between February and June, a period marked by national protests and heightened scrutiny following cases such as the death of Albert Ojwang while in police custody.
Ojwang’s case, which resulted in murder charges against a police officer and widespread condemnation, exposed a disturbing trend in how law enforcement engages with the public where force, intimidation, and institutional silence often replace service, protection, and accountability.
For many, the experience at Central Police Station reflects not just inefficiency but a deeper disregard for the public’s time, dignity, and right to access essential services from law enforcement.