Douglas Kanja approved as next police IG

By Peter Ochieng

Douglas Kanja Kirocho is in line to become the next Inspector General of Police.

Members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday approved his nomination, after a vetting exercise, jointly undertaken by the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security and the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Foreign Relations, in accordance with Article 245(2) (a) and (b) of the Constitution.

The Article states that there is established the office of the Inspector-General of the National Police Service.

“The Inspector-General--(a) is appointed by the President with the approval of Parliament; and (b) shall exercise independent command over the National Police Service, and perform any other functions prescribed by national legislation.”

His nomination was upheld after Gabriel Tongoyo, the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security, told the House that his committee had approved the appointment.

“Taking into consideration the findings of the joint committees of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs and the Senate standing committee on Defence and Foreign Relations in its report on the vetting of Douglas Kanja Kirocho for approval as the Inspector General of the National Police Service,” said National Assembly Speaker, Moses Wetang’ula.

“This house approves the appointment of Douglas Kanja Kirocho as the Inspector General of the National Police Service.”

During vetting, MPs urged him to address issues plaguing the National Police Service, if appointed.

‘’Kanja has been a very good officer in the service and his commitment cannot be questionable, when he was the DIG, he could attend to your issues as soon as you called him and I hope and know that that is what he will also do to the citizens,’’ said Kilifi North MP Owen Baya.

''It is coming at a time when the Acting Inspector General is demonstrating impunity against a judge and unexplained forced disappearances,'' stated Rarieda’s Otiende Amolo.

He now awaits appointment by President William Ruto to become the next IG. He will take over from his former boss, who resigned during the June/July anti-government protests.