IG Koome withdrawals security attached to NPSC officials as row escalates
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NPSC (National Police Service Commission) officials lose security as row with IG Koome over promotions rages
NPSC (National Police Service Commission) officials lose security as row with IG Koome over promotions rages.
The security personnel guarding the homes of the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) chairman Eliud Kinuthia and the Chief Executive Officer Peter Leley have been withdrawn.
The ongoing dispute between the Commission and Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome over the promotion of 514 senior officers is thought to have served as the catalyst for the action.
At the weekend, 22 police who were assigned to Kinuthia’s residences in Lamu and Nairobi were recalled.
The NPSC chairman acknowledged the withdrawal and expressed dissatisfaction that he was only left with one officer who usually accompanies him.
He, however, said he will not be distracted and will continue to “protect the Constitution and correct the mess within the service”.
“I am at home. I can’t leave because they withdrew my security,” Kinuthia told People Daily.
Some senior officers said the officers attached to the senior officials had been recalled for further training.
This comes after the commission placed an advertisement in the dailies calling for applications from police for 514 positions that had already been filled through promotions by Koome.
Immediately, Koome sent a memo to his officers to ignore the advert warning that any police officer who fails to heed his order will face disciplinary action.
“I therefore direct that all officers under your command should be informed to ignore the advertisement and that any officer who fails to heed the directive may face disciplinary sanctions,” said Koome in an internal memo to all police commanders.
The memo was dated June 9, 2023 and was sent to all officers in the Kenya police, Administration Police and Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
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After Koome promoted the officers, the NPSC declared decision as unlawful, irregular and un-procedural, saying the Inspector General had no such authority in law.
Leley had warned that the purported promotions to select officers would attract personal liability should the officers in question obtain benefits due to the ranks.
The Commission maintained that promotions in the NPS must be based on merit, equal and fair opportunity to all members of the Service.
The Commission maintained that the IG was subordinate to the NPSC and should fully comply with the legal policy, and institutional regulatory framework guiding the Commission’s human resource functions.
Under Article 246(3), the functions of the commission include to “recruit and appoint persons to hold or act in offices in the service, confirm appointments, and determine promotions and transfers within the National Police Service.”
Article 239(5) stipulates that the national security organs are subordinate to civilian authority.
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