'Outsider’ may head police under new law

A police Inspector-General could be appointed from outside the ranks of the force under the new Constitution.

Internal Security assistant minister Orwa Ojode said the Constitution leaves it to an Act of Parliament, to determine the qualifications of the police chief.

“The inspector-general can be anybody, not necessarily someone who has risen through the ranks in the force,” he said. Mr Ojode said the Police Reform Bill would be ready in two weeks.
Qualified officers

The Bill, he said, had been finalised in line with recommendations of the Justice Ransley report, but was being redrafted to ensure it was in harmony with the new Constitution.

Senior police officers who spoke to the Nation on condition of anonymity were apprehensive of an “outsider” heading the force. They argued that there are qualified officers within the ranks of the force.

A new body, the National Police Service Commission, as stipulated in the new Constitution will oversee appointments, transfers, sackings and promotions in the force.

Kenya’s police recently won accolades for overseeing a peaceful referendum. Trouble spots were mapped out in advance and heavy deployments made.

For instance, when a house was torched in Kuresoi on the referendum day, 10 police cars arrived at the scene in 15 minutes with four suspects being arrested within 24 hours.