President Kenyatta has appointed the new board of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
Anne Makori (pictured) replaces Macharia Njeru as chairperson. Other board members are Walter Owuor, Doreen Muthaura, Fatuma Mohamed, Jonathan Lodompui, John Waiganjo, Praxedes Tororey and Jimmy Mwithi.
The former board left office in May and the new team comes when there are many pending complaints against police officers.
In 2011, when IPOA came to office, police had killed hundreds of Kenyans during violence that followed disputed elections in 2007.
The Authority can investigate police on its own initiative or after receiving a complaint from the public. It has the power to order any serving or retired officer to appear before it and produce documents.
IPOA submits the findings of its investigations to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who decides whether to pursue a criminal trial or order an inquest.
The former board said they had completed investigation into 752 cases and forwarded 164 files to the DPP, of which 64 are in courts. Fifteen of the said cases involve deaths and inquests are ongoing.
IPOA managed to have three convictions, inspected 885 police premises and monitored 151 police operations.
It has regional offices in Mombasa, Kisumu and Garissa, while they plan to open more in Nyeri, Meru, Kakamega, Nakuru, Eldoret and a satellite one in Lodwar.
The first judgment involved two police officers found guilty of shooting dead a 14-year-old girl in in Kwale. The second one came in February when a court found a policeman guilty of murdering a suspected thief in 2013 in Nairobi.
Officials blame lack of police cooperation and court delays, some dragging for years, for the low performance.
