Delicate balance in finding female top police boss

The prospects of having a woman as the next Deputy Inspector-General in charge of the Kenya police are slim since the police service has only five women who meet the requirements.

On Saturday, the National Police Service Commission announced the qualifications required in an advert in the local dailies.

A list obtained by the Sunday Nation of senior women in the service, shows only five meet the conditions.

The deputy inspector-general must have served as a police officer above the rank of assistant inspector-general, the police commission service headed by Johnstone Kavuludi said.

GENDER SENSITIVE

Constitutionally, top hierarchy in the police service should be gender sensitive.

Mr Joseph Boinnet is at the apex as the inspector-general, Mr Samuel Arachi deputy inspector-general in charge of the Administration Police and the yet-to-be-filled position that was previously headed by Ms Grace Kaindi.

According to the law, the service is required to uphold the principle that not more than two-thirds of the appointments shall be of the same gender.

Of the five likely to apply is Mary Oyugi Kaol, the current director of personnel at the Directorate for Criminal Investigations. She has vast experience.

She was among the nine candidates who were interviewed for the position of inspector-general in 2012.

Besides Ms Kaindi, who was also interviewed for the same position, Ms Kaol was the only other woman in the race that was eventually won by Mr David Kimaiyo.

Another strong candidate is Judy Ndenda Jebet, who is the commandant of CID Training School.

Ms Ndenda was among those interviewed for the position of deputy inspector-general of police in 2012, a position that had attracted 39 Kenyans with only nine making it to the shortlist.

During the vetting early last year, Ms Ndenda, then head of Criminal Investigations at the Railways Police Unit, told the vetting panel that police officers earned “a very small salary” and increasing it was supposed to be part of police reforms.

“I don’t think the police need that. If I was to talk of junior officers who I always relate with, I would say it’s not possible to reduce their salaries. I don’t think police, as security officers, should be considered as other public servants,” Ms Ndenda said.

She also told the panel how she desired to see the Coroner’s Bill fast-tracked so as to relieve police officers of the task of handling bodies.

“Police are not trained on handling bodies. All we do is go to the scene, load the bodies into a vehicle and transport them to the mortuary,” Ms Ndenda said.

Another strong officer likely to give it a shot is Jacinta Muthoni Kinyua, who was recently appointed the new Traffic Commandant.

She has in the past served as the coast deputy provincial police officer and as staff officer personnel at the CID headquarters.

Also among the senior officers who meet the requirements for the appointment is Miriam Muli Ngina who is now Director of Inspection in the office of Inspector-General.

Another candidate likely to fit into Ms Kaindi’s shoes is Alice Naliaka, who is attached to the police service as assistant inspector-general.

Ms Naliaka was part of the taskforce on traffic reforms.

Those who do not fit the criteria but are just below the assistant inspector-general’s rank include commissioners of police Peris Muthoni, Barmo Jostine, Lillian Kiamba and Eunice Wangari.

During her vetting last year, when she was head of revenue protection services, Ms Muthoni said the policy on deployment and transfer of officers had not been “clear” in the past but has since been rectified.

Also likely to feature is former police spokeswoman Zipporah Mboroki, who was recently moved to the stores section.

She was also among those interviewed for the deputy inspector-general of police post.

According to the commission’s advert, those applying should have a degree and have served the police for at least 15 years.

Ms Kaindi was named deputy inspector-general after an interview on November 9, 2012.

The former Kenya Airports Police unit commandant was sworn in by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga at the Supreme Court on February 13, 2013 together with her Administration Police counterpart Samuel Arachi and Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss Muhoro Ndegwa.

Mr Joseph Kitili, who was the General Service Unit commandant, was named to replace Ms Kaindi in an acting capacity.

Mrs Kaindi was accused of not leading her troops in the field when Kenya was facing trouble with Al-Shabaab militants.

“You all saw what Mr Arachi did in Lamu. He literally camped there for months. During that time, where was she? These are some of the issues that angered the service,” a source told the Sunday Nation.

Applicants have up to Friday, October 9, to apply although it is not specified in the advertisement that the applicant must be a woman.