IG Kanja, NPSC bury the hatchet, agree to work together

IG Douglas Kanja and NPSC chair Amani Komora at Kenya School of Government in Mombasa on Friday /JOHN CHESOLI

The National Police Service Commission and the National Police Service have set aside their differences pledging to work together for the benefit of Kenyans.

Speaking after a meeting that lasted more than five hours in Mombasa, NPSC chairman Amani Komora and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja committed to working together and resolve any disputes amicably should they arise.

“We have agreed to chart out a new chapter in terms of how we relate, with more collegiality and with more respect to the different mandates that are bestowed on us as constitutional offices,” Komora said.

This comes after weeks of push and pull over the mandate of the two entities, especially regarding the police officers payroll.

Komora said the commission cannot succeed without the service and the service cannot succeed without the commission.

“We have agreed on a very clear, elaborate framework of working together that you will see as we move on. There will be more synergy and closer collaboration without parties pulling apart,” the commission chairman said.

Komora, however, said they will discuss the issue of payroll later, adding there was no time to discuss it on Friday.

“On matters payroll, we ask Kenyans that they give us more time because there are many things that need discussions that we did not discuss today. It is only the first day," he said.

“Kenyans should know that we will sit down and iron out that issue in the spirit of one government approach. We are all serving the same people and we believe there will no longer be the push and pull that you have been seeing.” 

This was the first meeting between the two entities since President William Ruto reconstituted the commission.

Komora expressed optimism that going forward the commission and the service will work together professionally.

“This is a clear demonstration of a new opportunity to reorganise and reconfigure the relations that are supposed to obtain between the commission and the service,” he said.

For a long time, the commission had been incomplete, with two commissioners missing but that has been resolved with recent appointments.  

The commission now includes chairman Komora, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Colleta Suda, Edwin Cheluget, Perris Muthoni, Benjamin Imai, Angeline Siparo, Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, DCI boss Mohamed Amin, Banis Silal and CEO Peter Lelei.

“With the commission now fully constituted, we are confident in our ability and capacity to spearhead the far reaching reforms that will entrench a professional, responsive and police-centric police service,” the NPSC chairman said.

Komora said they had three main agendas, but the most urgent one was the recruitment of an additional 10,000 police officers to bolster the NPS.

He said although they have independent roles, they still work together.

The commission is established under article 246 of the Constitution with the mandate to recruit and appoint persons to hold office in the NPS, determine promotions and transfers, and exercise disciplinary control over the members of the service.

Article 245 on the other hand grants the IG the mandate to exercise independent command over the NPS ensuring its operational efficiency, discipline and overall effectiveness.

The chairman said the commission on Friday held a meeting to deliberate on various human resource matters within the service, with priority being the recruitment of the 10,000 additional police officers.

“We are well aware that the nation requires to be secured and we have to progressively beef up our numbers within the NPS so that we move towards the best international practices,” Komora said.

He said the upcoming recruitment exercise will be guided by the 2025 regulations, which were developed pursuant to section 28 of the NPSC Act to address the gaps identified in the earlier regulations of 2015, while incorporating emerging issues in policing and human resource management.

Komora said they will ensure transparency and merit-based selection in the recruitment process.

“The commission also considered and approved a comprehensive roadmap and instruments to facilitate the immediate commencement of the recruitment exercise,” the NPSC chairman said at the Kenya School of Government in Mombasa.

The roadmap outlines key steps from the advertisement of the vacancies up to the final selection of successful candidates who will thereafter report to various designated training colleges.

“The commission will therefore soon advertise the vacancies as part of this structured recruitment process aimed at ensuring that successful candidates report to the training colleges later in the year,” Komora said.

Kanja welcomed the decision to recruit the 10,000 additional police constables.

“This initiative could not have come at a more critical time when the service members are dwindling due to natural attrition and other factors,” he said.

He said strengthening the human resource capacity ensures that service remains adequately equipped to address the evolving security needs of the nation.

“Together we will continue to build a NPS that is trusted by the people and respected for its professionalism, discipline and unwavering dedication to maintain law order and safeguard life and property,” Kanja said.

Instant Analysis:

There has been a dispute between the police commission and the service over who has the constitutional authority to control the Sh60 billion police payroll. The payroll is a human resource function vital for the recruitment, promotion and disciplinary actions. The NPSC claims payroll management is integral to its mandate as the employer, while the IG’s office has maintained control. The disagreement has led to a court petition and calls for mediation by the Interior ministry.