Change of guard in Kenya's Police force

• An early morning meeting between Kibaki and Raila culminates in President calling Ali and ordering him to fall out amid clamour for major reforms in the Police Force

When the President picked up the phone to call Maj-Gen Hussein Ali on Tuesday morning to inform him that he was replacing him as the commissioner of police, it was on the back of intense lobbying for the job.

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• Ali’s surprise landing at post office

Maj-Gen Ali was also fighting his own battle to defend his legacy at the helm and stay on until a time of his own choosing.

But the writing has been on the wall and the former helicopter pilot had survived one fight too many.

According to one Office of the President official with knowledge of the President’s thinking, the decision to remove Maj-Gen Ali was taken weeks ago and it was “just a matter of time and matter of timing”.

Though Maj-Gen Hussein Ali’s exit from Vigilance House was expected, his soft landing as the post master general came as a surprise.

Mr Mathew Iteere, an Israeli-trained commando, was eventually appointed from the General Service Unit (GSU) to take charge.

Created despondency

He beat Mr Francis Okonya who had been proposed by a section of the coalition government as a replacement but was appointed his principal deputy at Vigilance House.

The OP official said there was a feeling at State House that had Mr Okonya been appointed, it would have “created despondency” in the force because he was “relatively junior”.

Mr Okonya, a career detective, was called from the Criminal Investigations Department where he had been second in command.

The quest for the position of top police officer, saw the main political players — ODM and PNU — take part in behind-the-scenes negotiations before the appointment was made.

A meeting between President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga preceded the changes at Vigilance House.

People familiar with the talks from both sides confirmed that it was agreed that the changes were the beginning of more sweeping reforms to be carried out in the police force.

To signal the new determination for change, a top officer, described as “reform-minded”, was put in charge of reforms to the force. More appointments would also be made at deputy commissioner level to reflect the ethnic diversity in the country, said one official.

Those privy to the reports said former director of police operations David Kimaiyo, who was dropped from the force in a reshuffle shortly after the 2007 post- election violence, was also touted as a potential candidate.