Walter Nyankieya, the Police Inspector whose untimely demise occurred in a Washington DC hotel in February while on a mission to Haiti, was laid to rest on Friday at his family residence in Keroka, Nyamira County. However, his grieving family is still seeking answers from the government regarding the circumstances surrounding his mysterious death.
Nyankieya was among the advance security team dispatched to Haiti for a reconnaissance mission ahead of the planned deployment of Kenyan police officers to Port-au-Prince, as part of a UN Security Council-endorsed initiative aimed at restoring order in the gang-afflicted Caribbean nation.
Tragically, Nyankieya was found deceased in his hotel room in Washington DC on February 13, just three days after departing Kenya with his colleagues. “After consulting family and friends, we decided to lay our son to rest, but our lawyer will be moving to court to pursue the matter. We need to know what happened to our son,” expressed Philip Nyamato, the deceased’s father.
Being a senior police officer, the circumstances surrounding Nyankieya’s mysterious demise demand clarification. The family has requested a provisional report from the government on his passing but has yet to receive a response weeks after the incident.
The international delegation tasked with dispatching security officers to Haiti confirmed Nyankieya’s involvement in the reconnaissance team, expressing regret over the loss of an officer who had made significant contributions to the mission. “The deceased was recently appointed as a delegate of the multinational security support mission, where he worked diligently alongside other officers from various agencies. The country, NPS, and the mission team have indeed suffered a great loss,” remarked David Kabiru, representing the NIS Director General.
Representatives from the National Police Service, present at the funeral, mourned Nyankieya, describing his passing as regrettable and unfortunate. “Walter was an officer who commanded respect. He displayed firmness and leadership in his interactions with colleagues and subordinates,” stated Administration Police Director of Operations, Geoffrey Otunge.
The bereaved family is now appealing to the government to provide them with Nyankieya’s autopsy report and death certificate, seeking closure and solace during this challenging period of mourning.
