Lobbies call for competitive hiring of next IG of Police

 

Acting Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja

Police Reforms Working Group and Civic Freedoms Forum have called on President William Ruto to competitively recruit the next Inspector General of Police competitively.

This follows the resignation of Japheth Koome from the position last week.

The lobbyists in a joint statement on Wednesday stated that the next IG should meet key qualifications enshrined in section 11 of the National Police Service Act.

This includes holding a degree from a recognised university and demonstrating a distinction in their career.

"The appointee must have served in a senior management position for at least 15 years and has knowledge and experience in matters related to either criminal justice, policy development and implementation, finance and public administration, security, law and sociology," they said.

Additionally, they have asked President Ruto to restore the National Police Service Commission's role of recruiting all senior police officers.

They said the 2014 Security Laws Amendment Act altered and gave the mandate to the President.

"The amendments also changed the procedure for the removal of the IG-NPS, leaving the president with little power in law to remove the IG from office," they said.

According to the lobbies, the Maraga National Taskforce on Police Welfare and Reforms whose report has been submitted to the President recommends the reinstatement of competitive recruitment processes of the IG.

This is even as the lobbies called on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate and prosecute officers who violated rights of Kenyans during protests.

"It remains a matter of public concern that no single officer, as yet, has been arrested for the arbitrary arrests, abductions or unlawful killing of Kenyans during recent protests," they said.

by WAMBUI MWANGI