New shuffle hits 40 police heads, fate of Kaindi allies unclear

Forty senior police officers holding key dockets have been moved in a shake-up triggered by the dramatic exit of Ms Grace Kaindi as Deputy Inspector-General in charge of Kenya Police Service.

The fate of some of her allies is unknown as they were not mentioned in yesterday’s dispatch by Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet, just a day after she was dramatically forced out of office.

Mr Gideon Kimilu was removed as Deputy Director of Criminal Investigations and replaced with Mr Joseph Ashimalla, a career detective who has been number two at Vigilance House, the Kenya Police headquarters where Ms Kaindi was the boss.

Police Training College Commandant Peter Kavila was replaced with William Atswenje, who was the Director of Kenya National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons.

All are Senior Assistant Inspectors-General. The others shuffled are assistant inspectors-general.

Other senior officers got promotions, including Mr Benson Kibui, who had served as Nairobi police boss. He was appointed to the powerful docket of director of operations at Vigilance House, replacing Mr Philip Ndolo, who was named Kenya Airport Police Unit commandant.

Other beneficiaries of the changes include Mr Toroitich Chelimo, who was made the General Service Unit Commandant, replacing Mr Joel Kitili, who was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to replace Ms Kaindi in an acting capacity.

The exit of Ms Kaindi — according to those close to security circles — was not a matter of “if” but “when”.

Over time, it had become increasingly clear that, as Deputy Inspector-General (Kenya Police), she had fallen out with some of her senior colleagues and, most recently, with officials at the parent ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government.

A conflict with the Independent Policing Authority made the bad situation worse. On Friday, Mr Joel Kitili forcibly took over her office after a 48-hour drama at Vigilance House.

On Wednesday, a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed her an ambassador, then named Mr Kitili as acting Inspector-General, she stayed put in office, saying she was awaiting a letter showing the circumstances under which she was removed, as well as instructions on who to hand over to.

That letter never came.

The Sunday Nation visited her office that day and found her on the third floor at Vigilance House, where she was meeting senior officers under her. She said: “I’m ready to go but I’ve not seen any letter. No instructions have been given and so you cannot leave this office just like that.”

Ms Kaindi then pointed to her right, as she sat comfortably behind a magnificent mahogany desk, the seat of power from where her predecessors, then commissioners of police, called the shots. On the beige thick carpet were two big cartons, sealed and ready to be moved.

Ms Kaindi said they contained personal effects she intended to cart away, an indication she never planned to resist the change of guard.

The Sunday Nation established that she had sent a text message to National Police Service Commission chairman Johnstone Kavuludi threatening to sue for wrongful dismissal.

Ms Kaindi was the first Deputy Inspector-General, a position established by new laws enacted after promulgation of the 2010 Constitution.

On Thursday, Mr Kitili arrived at Vigilance House ready to take over, but Ms Kaindi was not ready to leave. He found himself spending much of his time at the office of the second in command at Vigilance House.

A dejected Mr Kitili, who before the presidential appointment was the General Service Unit commandant, left to meet Inspector-General Joseph Boinnet.

The two returned to Vigilance House at 8 pm, met Ms Kaindi but left after an unsuccessful meeting because she insisted on the letter.

On Friday morning, officers arriving at Vigilance House before dawn got a rude shock when they found the area sealed, under the command of a “General Staffing Officer.” There were unusual instructions: That no access was allowed through the VIP entrance, even for senior officers. Cars, whether official or personal, were also not allowed in.

Mr Philip Ndolo, the Director of Operations and technically Number 3 at Vigilance House, was barred from driving into the yard. His vehicle was parked on Harambee Avenue from where he walked in. Other senior officers followed suit.

Minutes after 6 am, Mr Kitili arrived in the green limousine assigned to the GSU commandant. The gates to the parking yard were promptly opened and he accessed the building through the VIP door.

On the third floor, he was received by Ms Kaindi’s guards, who had been ordered not to pick her up. The office was opened and he took charge.

Ms Kaindi’s official cars were also parked at the yard, since the drivers were to return them there after dropping her home.

If those who wanted Ms Kaindi to leave had their way in the first place, she would have left office two months ago. Mr Kavuludi, through IG Boinnet, had written to her last December 14 asking her to retire.

She replied that her tenure was not pegged on the attainment of the mandatory retirement age of 60 years for civil servants but on contract which, in this case, was five years. She wrote: “My term of office should expire on January 24, 2018, from January 25, 2013. I would, in light of the above, have a legitimate expectation as a State Officer to serve in my current capacity for the duration of the term provided by law.”

A June 15 letter from Mr Kavuludi reversed the decision to retire her, saying: “Our earlier letter of December 2014 giving you (Ms Kaindi) notice of your retirement with effect from October 12, stands cancelled.”

But the NPSC chairman bit his tongue when explaining the circumstances of her exit last Wednesday. He said: “The position fell vacant upon retirement. She attained the age of 60 years and, whenever that happens, the vacancy has to be filled. The Police Service Commission received the proposal from the Inspector-General. It was discussed and agreed.”

Early in her term, she broke ranks with Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro as they engaged in supremacy battles, a fact that was denied by both parties in public but which had a detrimental effect on the work of police detectives.

Last year, the director recruited fresh detectives from the Kenya Police, popularly referred to as regular police and GSU, which fell under Ms Kaindi’s docket.

But since the top two officers were embroiled in a supremacy battle, Ms Kaindi refused to release the officers to the directorate. She has never accepted that the DCI does not fall under her docket like it did before enactment of the new laws.

In March last year, Mr Muhoro identified 458 officers from regular police and the GSU who he trained in basic investigations courses. He had wanted to enlist 600 officers.

In a communication to formation commanders, seen by the Sunday Nation, Mr Muhoro said: “The following members (of your formations) were found suitable after interviews and have been absorbed to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. The officers should report to their new stations by July 2014.”

Some of those in the counties were released immediately by their line commanders  but when Ms Kaindi learnt of the development, she ordered that any officer who had not left must stay put, unless with her express permission. As such, all officers identified from the GSU are still stuck to their paramilitary duties. She had directed Mr Kitili not to release them.

A similar dilemma also faced former Inspector-General David Kimaiyo, whose relationship with Ms Kaindi was frosty.

A letter by Mr Kimaiyo on August 19, last year, said: “The IG has approved the talent spotting of 600 officers to join the Directorate of Criminal Investigations from the rank of police constables to inspectorate. The talent spotted officers must have C+ and above in KCSE.” It was signed by the IG’s personal assistant, Mr Patrick Tito.

The tussle with Mr Muhoro continued and he directed one of his lieutenants, Mr Edison Nzioka, to write to all county police and formation commanders.

He wrote: “It has been discovered that several officers who were talent spotted and transferred to the directorate from various stations within the country have not reported. For that reason, you are required to provide this headquarters with reasons as to why they have not been released since they were supposed to report by July, 2014.”

Mr Muhoro’s orders were disregarded by Ms Kaindi who — though not publicly — has vehemently fought to have the director report to her directly, and not to the IG. In his letters, Mr Muhoro made it clear that he reports only to the IG. For instance, when he sought to enlist the detectives, he wrote directly to formation commanders.