Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police (SAIG) Lazarus Opicho will be buried on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at his family home in Wehoya Village, Sirende Location, Trans Nzoia County.
Opicho died on Monday, September 28, 2026, at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi after a short illness.
He was the husband of Irene Midecha Opicho and father of five children.
Funeral arrangements are currently being held daily at Uhuru Camp along Raila Odinga Way in Nairobi and at Wehoya Village in Sirende Ward, Trans Nzoia County, from 5 pm.
A fundraising event will be held on Wednesday, October 7, at All Saints Cathedral on Valley Road in Nairobi, starting at 5 pm.
A requiem service will be held at Friends Church in Lang’ata, opposite Lang’ata Boys High School, on Monday, October 12.
A second requiem service will be held at Maili Saba Grounds in Wehoya Village, Trans Nzoia County, on Thursday, October 15, before his burial at his home on the same day.
Opicho was the son of the late Mzee David Malaba Opicho and the late Mama Salome Nabalayo Opicho.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja mourned Opicho, describing him as a dedicated officer who served the National Police Service with commitment and integrity.
As commandant of the SGB and VIP Protection Unit, Opicho was responsible for overseeing specialised security operations protecting key government installations, senior government officials and other VIPs, as well as judicial protection details.
The unit is among the specialised formations operating under the Administration Police Service, which has several units established to support the service in carrying out its security mandate.
Opicho previously served as the commandant of the Judiciary Police Unit, which is tasked with providing security to the Judiciary, judicial officers and staff.
Chief Justice Martha Koome mourned the death of Opicho describing him as a distinguished officer who devoted many years to public service.
In a message of condolence following Opicho’s death, Koome said she had received the news with “profound shock and sadness”.
She extended her condolences to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, the leadership and entire fraternity of the National Police Service, as well as Opicho’s family, friends and colleagues.
“We mourn a distinguished police officer who devoted many years of his life to public service and to the protection of our institutions and the people who serve within them,” Koome said.
Koome highlighted Opicho’s contribution to the Judiciary, where he served as the founding head of the Judiciary Police Unit after its establishment in 2021.
The unit was created to provide a dedicated framework for the security of Judiciary personnel, court users and judicial premises across the country.
Koome said Opicho was entrusted with leading the newly established unit and helped lay its institutional foundations.
She added that he contributed to developing a more coordinated and responsive approach to the security needs of the Judiciary.
“Mr Opicho occupies a special place in the institutional history of the Judiciary,” Koome said.
The Chief Justice said Opicho would be remembered for his commitment to duty, professionalism and contribution to strengthening the security architecture of the Judiciary.
