President Ruto sacks Uhuru police bosses

The purge fits in President William Ruto's reconstitution of teams appointed by his predecessor.

Piece by: GORDEN OSEN
News

• The latest move follows a degazettement of retired President Kenyatta's appointees who had been perched in key positions in the waning days of his administration.

• The head of state on Friday gazetted vacancies in the NPS and the National Gender and Equality Commission (Ngec) and appointed new panels to shop for fresh blood.

President William Ruto inspecting guard of honour at Nyayo Stadium during Kenya's 58th Jamhuri Day celebrations on December 12, 2022.
Image: PCS

All the National Police Service chiefs appointed by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta have been fired.

The purge fits in President William Ruto's reconstitution of teams appointed by his predecessor.

The head of state on Friday gazetted vacancies in the NPS and the National Gender and Equality Commission (Ngec) and appointed new panels to shop for fresh blood.

The latest move follows a degazettement of retired President Kenyatta's appointees who had been perched in key positions in the waning days of his administration.

The outgoing members of police commission are barely four years in office, having been appointed by Uhuru in 2019.

They are Eliud Kinuthia who has been serving as chairman, his deputy Alice Otwala and commissioners Lilian Kiamba, Eusebius Laibuta, Naphtaly Rono and John Moyaki.

The recruitment panel for the police commission has Arthu Osiya, Joyce Nyabuti, Gilbert Mutembei, Monica Mururi, Ryamond Sangsang Nyeris, Joyce Mutinda and Mbeti Mchuki.

With the selection panel in place, it appears the lot quietly resigned to pave way for fresh blood.

The replacement can be viewed as part of the new administration's determination to reform the police service and delink it from the control of political establishment.

Days after he was sworn in, the President made the Inspector General of Police the sole accounting officer for the service, defanging Interior PS who had been the one with power to determine expenses for the police service.

He also had former police chief Hillary Mutyambai resign to pave way for recruitment of Japheth Koome, as well as resignation of Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti for Mohammed Amin.

But Ruto's sustained onslaught on the police service can also be viewed to be stemming from his beef with the top bosses of the service whom he accused of being used by the Uhuru regime to target him and his cronies.

The gazetted selection panel will carry out the recruitment processes and formulate a list that would be forwarded to the President for eventual appointment of six commissioners.

The panel will select among themselves who becomes the chairperson.

According to the NPS Act, the panel has seven days to advertise the vacancies in the papers and call for applications.

Upon conclusion of it recruitment process, the law requires the panel to recommend three persons to be appointed by the President as chairperson of the new commission. They will also recommend eight people for the President to choose from as members of the body.

Upon receiving the shortlisted names, the President will have 14 days to make his pick and forward them to the National Assembly for consideration.

For Ngec, Ruto gazetted Mary Kimonye, Reuben Chirchir, Oscar Eredi, Alice Waguthi Kinyua, Mary Mwiandi, Steven Oundo, Mucha Mlingo and Michael Munene. 

The current members of the commission include Joyce Mwikali Mutinda, Muriithi Chomba Munyi, James Okoth Koyier, and Caroline Naikenda Lentupuru.

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