Mugiithi artist, Samuel Muchoki aka Samidoh performing at a past Ngemi Festival.
Mugithi maestro Samuel Muchori, popularly known as Samidoh, might not be reporting to his new workstation in Gilgil soon despite a police order.
The National Police Service (NPS) has accused Samidoh of deserting duty at the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) where he was transferred by police chiefs upset by one of his shows at which revelers chanted “Wantam” – a sloganeering with political connotation.
An internal memo signed by Kennedy Barasa on behalf of ASTU boss, Joseph Limo, said Samidoh had been expected to resume work on May 27 but had not shown up.
On Tuesday night, Samidoh listed several shows that he is planning to host in the United States in June and July.
In a cryptic post after the memo, which ordered officers to also visit his home and inquire about his whereabouts, the police officer listed five venues that he would be performing at in America.
They include Houston Texas on June 21, Austin Texas (June 28), Lowell Massachusetts (July 4), Dallas Texas (July 5), and Seattle Washington (July 12).
“No matter how high an eagle flies up the sky, it will come down to look for food- Wise men proverb,” the post read.
Police say he was granted off duty but has failed to return to work as agreed.
“The officer was granted an off duty and was supposed to report back on 27/05/2025 but he failed. Since then he has not been seen and his whereabouts remain unknown and efforts to trace him have been futile,” the signal reads.
The memo said that he absented himself from duty for at least 10 days hence the reason for his being declared a deserter. The circular also ordered that the NPS pay section stop his salary with immediate effect.
Police officers in Gatumbiro, Nyandarua County were also ordered to visit his home and find out more of his whereabouts.
However, another letter resurfaced from NPS indicating that on April 25, the musician had received a travel clearance from his bosses to visit the US between May 20 and June 9.
Nation contacted Samidoh but he had not responded to our inquiries.
According to the NPS, if an officer is found culpable of desertion, penalties include dismissal or imprisonment, criminal record, and loss of benefits.
Under the National Police Service Act, Chapter 84 (Revised 2014), desertion is a criminal offence. Section 94(1) provides that; “A police officer who absents himself from duty without leave or just cause for a period exceeding ten days shall, unless the contrary is proved, be considered to have deserted from the Service.”
Section 94(3) further states that; “Any police officer who deserts from the Service commits an offence and is liable on conviction to summary dismissal or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.”
Before departure to the US, Samidoh held concerts in the United Kingdom and Ireland. On May 28, the artiste was in Southall, London, where he posted on his social media accounts; “The tree does not curse the axe, it grows around the wound and reaches higher still.”
The following day he shared the cryptic revolutionary quote by Thomas Jefferson, saying; “When justice becomes law, resistance becomes duty!”
He took the image standing beside a car for the British Transport Police (BTP) which is the national police force for the railways in the United Kingdom, covering England, Wales, and Scotland.
Samidoh’s transfer had attracted public attention but Inspector General Douglas Kanja said all civil servants are usually redeployed and the singer was no exception.
His woes started on Friday, May 16, when a video of the guitarist in a live performance at an undisclosed entertainment joint went viral on social media platforms, in which revelers were captured chanting slogans with a perceived political connotation.
In the video, the revelers sang out aloud to ‘wantam’ – a corruption of the phrase one term- which has become a popular rallying call by President William Ruto’s political competitors who are campaigning to dislodge him from power in 2027.
