July will always be a special month for the family of Mr Henry Nyabuto.
This is the month they received a delegation of top police officers in their home, an experience that changed their life forever.
Mr Nyabuto had been living in a makeshift shelter for about three months after their mud house collapsed.
The needy family could not rebuild it and circumstances forced him to stay in the makeshift structure under a tree in their compound.
The structure was made of a big table, under which they slept.
It was covered with an iron sheet overhead while its sides were shielded by dry leaves and branches.
Mr Nyabuto and his wife slept there while their eight children sought refuge in neighbouring homes. Two other children are married and are not living with their parents.
One day in June, a community member learned of the family’s unfortunate state and started seeking help through social media.
On July 2, Kisii County Police Commander Francis Kooli visited after getting the reports on social media.
He went on a fact-finding mission and confirmed that the family was indeed in dire need of help.
“I went with some foodstuffs and together with my colleagues who had accompanied me agreed to build a decent house for the family,” said Mr Kooli, noting that they raised enough money to build a semi-permanent house.
On July 20, the mud-walled house with an iron-sheet roof was completed.
Kisii County Police Boss Francis Kooli (right) is joined by other philanthropists during the handover of a newly built house to a destitute family that was living in deplorable conditions.
At the time, Mr Kooli, 50, had been transferred from Siaya County to Kisii barely two months earlier.
His acts of kindness left many residents amused. They are not used to police officers being good to them.
Mr Kooli did not stop there. In the short time he has been in Kisii, the soft-spoken and ever-smiling officer who can afford laughter even in the face of conflict has continued with his acts of kindness.
Get the award
He has also distributed wheelchairs to people with disabilities and food items and sanitary towels to needy girls.
Kisii County Commander Francis Kooli outside his office shows some of the wheelchairs and food stuffs to be distributed to people living with disabilities on August 10, 2021.
Mr Kooli’s story is not an ordinary one. His charity work has helped him earn national awards, elevating him above his peers.
He is an accomplished member of the National Police Service and his exemplary work beyond his official duties has earned him accolades besides helping to change the lives of ordinary Kenyans.
Mr Kooli is originally from Turkana County. He says the harsh conditions he went through as a child and in his early youth in the northern-western Kenya County helped shape his adult life and he has learnt to appreciate life.
The father of three children, now adults, says he also does charity to help himself heal from the many tough situations police find themselves in as they execute their duties.
In 2014, he received a Heroes Gala Award from Nation Media Group. He was among 12 Kenyans nominated by NMG for the award. Kenyans voted for him and helped him get the award.
“Police work is not easy, I must say. We find ourselves in very tough situations that call for emotional sobriety. I compensate the low moments with serving Kenyans in other ways beyond arresting and enforcing law and order,” he said.
He says he takes every available opportunity to tell the public that the police are not bad people and can save lives.
For him, a police officer is first a human being and he would go at any length to ensure humanity prevails.
Mr Kooli has been involved in peace negotiations in areas affected by clashes and his fluency in Dholuo, Kikuyu, Luhya, Kalenjin, Swahili, English and Turkana further suits him for the mission.
Mr Kooli says when he worked in conflict areas in Trans Mara and Molo during the post-election violence in 2007/2008, he wondered why youths were being used to cause skirmishes and slowly by slowly, he started using them in peacebuilding.
“I am passionate about community policing, peacebuilding and responsible youth citizenry,” says the police boss, who prides himself on the government of Kenya award, the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW).
OGW is presented to individuals in recognition of outstanding service rendered to the country in different responsibilities and capacities.
Make a difference
More importantly, it is an award presented to those who put their lives at risk to save their fellow countrymen.
“I have also received the Peace Award for National Peace Building and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) Distinguished Service Award for exemplary community work,” he said.
In 2011, he received the Stress Management Champion Award from the office of the prime minister, Ministry of State for Public Service.
“This is in recognition of your outstanding commitment and achievements in promoting awareness of stress and its management through your successful 310km Stress Sensitisation Walk from Nakuru to Nairobi via Nyeri,” the award says.
He is a peacebuilder, a social change agent and founder of Peace Ambassadors Kenya, an organisation that brings together over 5,000 youths from across the country and works with university students.
The organisation was started in February 2012 as the brainchild of young people from universities and colleges and the Kenya Administration Police Service, who offered patronage to the initiative.
“Since its inception, the organisation has endeavoured to grow as a formidable player in Kenya’s peacebuilding and youth empowerment sector,” said Mr Kooli, adding that they are currently implementing seven projects under a programme titled Peace Ambassadors Kenya (PAK): Mobilising, Organising, Empowering, Engaging, and Celebrating Kenya Youth.
“I grew up with a strong desire to try and make a difference. My Turkana people and the neighbouring communities which engaged in hostilities and cattle raids that left many people dead made me think differently about life,” Mr Kooli said.
A decade ago, Mr Kooli won an award for being the country’s Best Blood Donation Mobiliser of the Year.
“I got this award after a 250km blood donation walk where we realised 2,683 pints of blood,” said Mr Kooli. He walked from Kakamega to Nakuru, mobilising Kenyans to donate blood.
The event was organised by the Kenya National Transfusion Service, Red Cross Society, and the Administration Police.
In Bomet, where he served as county police administration commandant in 2017, Mr Kooli led other officers in giving motorists roses to mark Valentine’s Day. BY DAILY NATION
