Douglas Kanja sworn in as Police IG

By Peter Ochieng

Douglas Kanja Kirocho has been sworn in as the next Inspector General (IG) of the National Police Service (NPS).

He was sworn in on Thursday at State House, Nairobi during a ceremony presided over by President William Ruto. 

Ruto wished him all the best, as he takes charge of the largest armed and uniformed unit in the country. 

President William appointed him Police IG a day after Members of Parliament (MPs) approved his nomination, about a month after the Senate gave an ok to his nomination.

"I William Ruto appoint Douglas Kanja Kirocho to be the Inspector General of the National Police Service for a term of 4 years," Ruto said in a gazette notice.

He takes over from from his former boss, Japhet Koome.

The former IG resigned in July, at the height of anti-government protests, spearheaded by Generation Zoomers (Gen-Z) and millennials.

Prior to his nomination by the President to become IG, Kanja served as Acting IG after Koome's resignation, alongside his position as Deputy Police IG.

However, Deputy IG (Administration Police) Gilbert Masengeli has been acting as Police IG, as Kanja underwent the vetting process.

Douglas Kanja becomes the 5th Police IG under the 2010 constitution.

David Kimaiyo was the first police IG under the current constitution.

He served from 2012 to 2014, before being succeeded by Joseph Boinett who was in office from 2015 to 2019.

Hillary Mutyambai took over and served until 2022, before being succeeded by Koome.

As Kanja assumes office, he will be reminded that majority of those who came before him never served until the end of their 4-year terms, as stipulated in the constitution.

They either resigned or sounded out of office, after public outcry over their performance.

Kanja becomes the first man from 2012 to move up the ladder from Deputy IG to Police IG.