Kanja's fate in limbo as he awaits House endorsement, or rejection

The fate of Douglas Kanja Kirocho now hangs in the balance even as President William Ruto nominated him as Inspector General of Police following the recommendation of the National Police Service Commission.

Mr Kanja, who has been serving as the acting Inspector General, is now degazetted and his fate is in the hands of both Parliament and the Senate who will now decide whether he is fit for the job or not.

In his place, the President appointed DIG Gilbert Masengeli, the new Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police Service, to serve in an acting capacity.

"Pending the consideration of the nomination of Mr Douglas Kanja as Inspector General of the National Police Service by both houses of Parliament, the Head of State has, in accordance with Section 16 of the National Police Service Act . 2011, designated the newly appointed Deputy Inspector General, Administration Police Service, as the acting Inspector General of the National Police Service," stated Head of Public Service and Chief of Staff Felix Koskei, in a statement.

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The two, have since taken oath of office in an event presided over by Chief Justice Martha Koome at the Supreme Court of Kenya, Nairobi. Masengeli and Lagat beat six other senior police officers in interviews conducted earlier this week. Those who appeared before the National Police Service Commission for the Kenya Police Deputy Inspector General were the Coast Region Police Commander George Sedah, Lagat, Tom Odero and Vincent Makokha.

Masengeli, Margaret Karanja, Kamau and Masood Mwinyi were interviewed for the Administration Police deputy inspector general position.

Masengeli, until his promotion, was the Commandant of the Administrative Police Training College in Embakasi.

The vacancies came to be after the President, in the wake of the Gen-Z protests, accepted the resignation of Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and moved the DIG Administration Police Abdi Gabow to the Public Service Commission for redeployment. 

Police have come under severe criticism for the handling of protesters and are blamed for the death of more than 50 young Kenyans who were calling for good governance.

Kanja, who has been serving as the acting Inspector General following the resignation of Koome, is a seasoned police officer with nearly four decades of service.

If approved by Parliament, the immediate former Deputy Inspector General of Police will succeed former IG Koome, who resigned on July 12.

His experience has seen him rise through the National Police Service ranks.

Kanja served as Deputy Inspector General of the Police Service, Commandant of the General Service Unit (GSU) for five years and Deputy Commandant of the GSU for three years.

Other positions he has held include Kilifi County Police Commander, Deputy Commandant of the Kenya Airports Police Unit, Chief Armourer at the Police Services headquarters, and Deputy Chief Armourer at the Kenya Police Service headquarters.

"The IG nominee has undertaken extensive security-related training both locally and internationally," Koskei said in the statement.

Kanja's career began in 1985 as a recruit police constable.