Pressure Mounts: Ruto Faces New Demand for Next Inspector General
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has urged President William Ruto to appoint a civilian Inspector General (IG) of Police who will uphold human rights and act with professionalism.
In a released statement, KHRC emphasized the importance of competitively recruiting the next IG and all senior police officers to restore integrity within the police service.
KHRC specified that the next IG should demonstrate independent leadership over the National Police Service (NPS) and conduct their duties autonomously and professionally.
“The Maraga taskforce report recommends the reinstatement of competitive recruitment processes for the IG, Directors of Internal Affairs and Criminal Investigations, and Deputy Inspector Generals of KPS and AP,” KHRC stated.
“In line with these key qualifications, we urge the President to strongly also consider competitively appointing a civilian to head the National Police Service.”
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To meet the requirements outlined in section 11 of the National Police Service Act, the appointee must be a Kenyan citizen, possess a degree from a recognized Kenyan university, demonstrate notable achievements in their career, and satisfy the criteria outlined in Chapter Six of the Constitution.
The lobby group emphasizes that the Inspector General (IG) should have a minimum of fifteen years of experience in senior management roles, coupled with expertise in criminal justice or policy formulation and execution.
“The Presidential nomination of the next Inspector General will either raise the bar for professional and human rights-based policing or lower it even further,” the commission argued.
The human rights organization also urged for expedited investigations into claims of police harassment against protesters.
“We strongly urge the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to adhere to their mandates and urgently investigate and prosecute police officers and their commanders who have violated Kenyans’ rights during the ongoing protests,” KHRC stated.
“It remains a matter of public concern that no single officer, as yet, has been arrested for the arbitrary arrests, abductions, or unlawful killing of Kenyans in recent weeks.”
Pressure Mounts: Ruto Faces New Demand for Next Inspector General
