Unending police wrangles blamed for new wave of crime

By Abdikadir Sugow

Behind the scenes internal wars among police officers have also been attributed to the wave of crime in the country.

Inspector General of Police (IG) David Kimaiyo was at one time at loggerheads with National Police Service Chairman Johnston Kavuludi Commission (NPSC) over promotions, appointments and transfer of senior police officers. 

   The conflict within the security agencies forced the former chairman of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on the Implementation of the Constitution Abdikadir Hussein Mohammed to clarify the different mandates of the two security organs and finally broker a truce.

Mohammed stated that the IG and the Deputy IG come with big independent responsibilities and that they are full members of the NPSC. They will not be sitting on the commission ex-officio.

He said the Constitution allows the Police Oversight Commission to work and provide services purposely for the interest of the force so that they can execute their policing work accordingly. 

He told the commission that there should be no conflict of interest other than serving the force, just like the Judicial Service Commission and the Parliamentary Service Commission who are working for the interests of their respective workforce.   Similarly, the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution met the warring security agents and reminded them not to overstep their respective mandate and responsibilities.

The Kavuludi-led commission is a body corporate established under Article 246 of the Constitution of Kenya and operationalised through an Act of Parliament. The NPSC is to safeguard the sovereignty of Kenyans, uphold national values and principles of good governance, which values and principles are fundamental to the mandate of commission in ensuring that the National Police Service is transformed into a world-class service faithful to the requirements of a modern democracy and in conformity with the letter and spirit of the Constitution.