A Noble but Onerous Duty

From a humble beginning as a son of employees in white settlers' farms in the central
Rift Valley, Dr Francis K. Sang overcame many odds to rise through the ranks of
the Kenya Police and become the 4th Kenyan Director of the Criminal Investigation
Department. He served in this position for 4 years before he was transferred to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the changeover of government in Kenya at the end of
2002.
He was tasked with the establishment of the Nairobi Secretariat to coordinate issues
to do with small arms in the region. This he did and later helped transform the secretariat
into the Regional Centre for Small Arms (RECSA), a regional inter-governmental body that
coordinates activities aimed at controlling and reducing the proliferation of small arms and
light weapons in the Eastern Africa, Great Lakes and Horn of Africa region and bordering
states.
In this autobiography, he relates his experiences, from the difficult circumstances
surrounding his birth and childhood, his struggles to get an education in spite of the many
obstacles that he faced and his experiences in the police force, particularly in the Criminal
Investigation Department (CID) during the tenure of the 2nd President of Kenya, Daniel
arap Moi. He also relates his experiences after the NARC Government took over in 2002 and
sent most senior security offi cers in the former government packing, either on retirement or
on transfer to other less prestigious positions.
He further relates how, through determination, he has been able to achieve his academic
dreams which had been deferred earlier in his life owing to financial constraints, culminating
in the acquisition of a PhD late in life. He also speaks about the role his family has played in
enabling him to achieve all he has in his life. Reflecting on his long journey that has brought
him to the place where he is today, the author also gives a number of insights on his work
and life.
This autobiography should serve as interesting reading to the general public as well as
to persons serving in the disciplined forces, considering that it is the first from amongst
persons that have served in the police force and risen through the ranks to the very top.