The High Court might be forced to interpret the Constitutional mandate of the National Police Service(NPS) and National Police Service Commission (NPSC) when it comes to recruitment and promotion to end the incessant wrangles.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki read the riot act on the two police institutions that have been involved in a public spat over the promotion of 514 police officers.
He said actions, public exchanges of letters and press releases between Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and NPSC chairman Eliud Kinuthia group amounts to a violation of Chapter Six of the Constitution and is the highest level of irresponsibility, and continue to erode public confidence.
Kindiki warned that they can easily give a basis for removal from office through a tribunal for gross misconduct and for undermining the Constitution.
He also advised that the promotion of the 514 officers and recruitment of civilians into the NPS be regularized, whatever that means, within the law.
Subsequent processes should not be done in the public glare so as not to erode further the public confidence in the institutions of national security.
Kinuthia, Chief Executive Officer Peter Leley, Koome, his Deputies Douglas Kanja, and Noor Gabow were Tuesday, June 20 holed up in a meeting to resolve the spat.
Kindiki told the NPSC commissioners to solve the difference within the legal procedure saying the public infighting over the perceived overlapping of the mandate was a violation of the constitution.
“I am informed that NPSC is meeting, and the IG is a commissioner, the two deputies are commissioners, I have directed them to resolve those differences there, I have told them not to entertain Kenyans to a circus,” Kindiki stated.
“I am of the opinion that the exchanges between the NPS and NPSC are needless. It is a violation of the constitution,” he added.
He warned that the NPS and NPSC that failure to cease wrangles to the public glare would warrant the basis for their removal from office for gross misconduct and violation of the constitution.
“I am required to give policy direction. I made it clear that it was a violation of the constitution and the conduct gives a basis for their removal from office,” the Interior CS said.
