Kibaki, Raila resume search for new Police boss

President Mwai Kibaki inspects a guard of honour a during police pass-out ceremony at Kiganjo police training college. PHOTO / FILE

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga have jump-started the stalled search for a new Police boss by nominating six individuals to sit in the National Police Service Commission.

The six nominees include Johnston Kavulundi from Vihiga County as the proposed Chairman, Ronald Musengi (Kajiado), Esther Chui-Colombini (Nairobi), Murshid Mohamed (Mombasa), Dr Muiu Mutia (Makueni) and Mary Owuor (Kisumu).

The six nominees must now be vetted and endorsed by Parliament.

The Police Service Commission should have been in office by August 27, but squabbles in the coalition over composition of the team led to rejection of the initial nominees by Parliament.

At the time, MPs had demanded that Amina Masoud - who was nominated as the Chairman - be removed from the list.

A statement on Wednesday evening from the Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia said the nominations had been changed to reflect regional balance, gender and ethnic diversity, as well as performance during the interview.

Mr Murshid, who had also applied to be Chairman, was selected to be a member after he scored lower than Kavulundi.

“It is noteworthy that he was interviewed for chairperson and is fully qualified as a member as well,” said Mr Kimemia.

The two Principals arrived at the names after they agreed to omit the contentious Amina Masoud whom the Prime Minister had rejected in an earlier list taken to Parliament.

Mr Odinga had chosen on Mr Kavulundi to Chair the Commission before the President submitted Amina’s name to Parliament.

On Wednesday evening, the coalition principals urged parliament to approve the nominations as a way of catching up with lost time.

“The Constitution and the National Police Service Commission Act have provided for strict timelines for appointment of National Police Service Commission, we therefore kindly request the National Assembly to urgently expedite the processing of these nominees,” they said in a joint statement.

The Commission is be charged with interviewing prospective candidates for the Inspector General’s position.

The continued stay of Matthew Iteere as Police Commissioner has been the subject of heated debate. His term, according to the new constitution, should have ended on August 27, 2012.

Commission on Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) chairman Charles Nyachae had noted that anyone could petition the courts that Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere was in office illegally.

“Constitutionally, a person who is not an inspector general cannot be in command of the Kenya Police Service. If anyone moves to court, then the police commissioner could lose his job,” he said.