Kenyans on social media have taken issue with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) after the agency shared a post wishing citizens a “Happy Customer Service Week.”
The DCI published the message across its official social media platforms as part of the annual global observance that recognizes the importance of customer service.
However, the post quickly drew widespread backlash from Kenyans who felt the message was tone-deaf given the institution’s recent controversies.
Dozens of social media users flocked to the comments section, sharing photos from recent Gen Z protests and past victims of police brutality.
Others mocked the agency with sarcastic remarks and memes, including a reworked version of the DCI poster showing a man being forced into a Subaru, a reference to abduction claims tied to plainclothes officers.
Happy Customer Service Week pic.twitter.com/TQAKv8xIeH
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) October 6, 2025
“This is the week @NPSOfficial_KE pretends to care about their customers, sending encouraging posts about not killing them in custody or during arrest,” one user wrote.
Another added, “Happy Criminals Service Week is what you should be celebrating, if there’s anything happy about criminals.”
A third questioned the agency’s definition of ‘customers,’ asking, “Between those paying for abductions and those abducted, who exactly are your customers?”
The backlash became so intense that the DCI eventually disabled comments on the post.
The uproar comes at a time when the institution has been under months of sharp scrutiny over alleged cases of abductions and enforced disappearances.
pic.twitter.com/UXv7t7ovMH
— Mother Teleza (@K58273080) October 7, 2025
One recent case that reignited public outrage was that of Albert Ojwang’, a Homa Bay teacher who died while in police custody.
Ojwang’ was arrested on June 7, 2025, by DCI Cybercrime officers, briefly held at Mawego Police Station, then transferred to Nairobi’s Central Police Station, where he reportedly died under unclear circumstances.
This triggered outrage across Kenyans, leading to violent protests that left 22 casualties and multiple injured.
What is Customer Service Week?
According to the Institute of Customer Service, the event is an international celebration recognizing the vital role of customer service in businesses and communities.
It takes place annually during the first week of October and originated in the United States in 1984, gaining national recognition in 1992 when Congress proclaimed it an official event.
Its main goal is to boost morale and highlight the importance of quality service, values that many Kenyans argued the DCI failed to demonstrate in their own operations.