A senior police officer, Assistant Inspector General Philip Kipchirchir, has died after collapsing at his home in Chesumei, Nandi County early Saturday morning.
Kipchirchir, who was stationed at Vigilance House in Nairobi, is reported to have collapsed at around 5am. Family members said he suddenly fell unconscious, prompting them to rush him to Kapsabet County Referral Hospital. He was pronounced dead on arrival.
His brother confirmed the incident, saying the family had been preparing to take him to hospital when his condition worsened.
Kipchirchir’s body has since been moved to the Samaritan Farewell Home, where it will remain as arrangements are made for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.
The long-serving officer rose through the ranks of the police service, including a stint in the General Service Unit (GSU), before his appointment as an Assistant Inspector General. He was previously removed from service during a vetting process by the National Police Service Commission but was later reinstated by the courts.
The National Police Service has not yet issued an official statement on his death.
Kipchirchir’s passing adds to a worrying trend of police deaths reported in recent years, linked to causes ranging from violent attacks and accidents to mental health-related incidents.
In one widely publicised case in October, a GSU officer manning State House Gate D in Nairobi was fatally attacked by a man armed with a bow and arrow. A post-mortem revealed the officer died of excessive bleeding after the arrow punctured his heart. The suspect was later arrested, with relatives saying he had been battling mental health challenges.
Investigations into Kipchirchir’s death are expected to begin once the post-mortem is conducted.
