NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 13 – Deputy Inspector Generals of Police Grace Kaindi, Samuel Arachi and the Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Ndegwa Muhoro have finally been sworn into office.
Chief Justice Willy Mutunga said that there was nothing barring him from swearing in the three despite objections raised by Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA).
The CJ said: “A swearing in is an administrative function and not a judicial one; once I get the gazette notice and there is no court order stopping me I will proceed to swear them in. We dealt with the concerns raised by the PM and that caused the delay. I cannot while performing this function pass judgment on the appointees. That is the function of the courts.”
Kaindi who formerly served at the Kenya Airports Police Unit (KAPU) will be in charge of the regular police while Arachi who has been acting AP Commandant assumes the position fully after emerging top in the interviews conducted at the end of last year.
Odinga opposed the appointments made on January 25 saying they were unconstitutional since no agreement was reached between him and the president.
“I had expressed reservations on their integrity, which needs to be unquestioned given the powerful role of the police in every aspect of the nation’s life, including of course the upcoming elections,” said Odinga last month while rejecting the appointments.
Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo who attended the swearing says that his team is now complete and ready to work starting with the March 4 general election.
“The National Police Service is now complete and will be able to undertake its functions under the National Police Service Act. We are now in the electioneering period and now we move towards implementing the strategies we have put in place especially our contingency plan for the elections,” said Kimaiyo while assuring the nation of security before, during and after the elections.
According to the law, the three deputies will serve for a term of four years and are eligible to apply for re-appointment.
In the interviews conducted in October and November, Kaindi was ranked third after Kimaiyo and John Ochieng of the National Focal Point on Small Arms.
In the AP category, Arachi was top after Gideon Kimilu and David Ngondi.
For the post of CID director, Muhoro emerged top, beating Judy Ndeda of the Kenya Railways police and former Police Spokesman Jasper Ombati.
Source:capitalfm.co.ke/news
