MPs vet nominees for police commission posts

The National Assembly has started vetting nominees for the National Police Service Commission positions.

Eliud Kinuthia, Lilian Kiamba, Alice Atieno and Kipchirchir Rono were nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta on February 19.

If approved, they will take over from the team chaired by Johnston Kavuludi.

Kavuludi's term expired in October 2018.

If Parliament approves the nominees Kinuthia will become the new chairman.

Kinuthia said he looks forward to a time when a department in the police will be formed to deal specifically with cases of domestic violence and child abuse.

He promised to put more focus on ensuring the existing gaps between the police and members of the public are bridged.

"These gaps have exposed weak links between the police and citizens. We need a review that will help build confidence," he said.

Kinuthia also said that career progression, promotion and transfers have, for a long time, been contentious issues that have resulted in some police officers being victimised.

Former National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende, Justice Joyce Aluoch, Dr Zachary Mwangi, Elijah Kodoh, Peter ole Nkuraiya, Mukutar Abdi, and Lucy Wanja had been shortlisted for the chair's post but they did not make the cut.

The commission will play a key role in streamlining the ongoing police reforms. The team is also expected to determine if police officers will get a salary increase.

Kavuludi team had complained that his team was unable to fully discharge their mandate because the President usurped their powers.

He said the 2014 amendment of the National Police Service Act and the National Police Service Act clipped the commission's power to recruit the Inspector General of Police and his two deputies.

Kavuludi's team came into office in 2012 and has vetted more than 10,000 officers.

A human head was once dumped outside his office as the former teacher started vetting police officers. Kavuludi also complained of death threats from anonymous people.

Read: Kavuludi, NPSC commissioners leave office after six year term

Read: Marende, Justice Joyce Aluoch among 14 shortlisted for National Police Service Commission chair post