Reject bid to quash police vetting, CIC tells House team

NAIROBI: The Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution Tuesday rejected a proposal to do away with the ongoing police vetting and reinstate the sacked police officers.

The commission said the proposal by Peter Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) to amend the National Police Service Act was illegal and was likely to roll back the gains made in reforming the police service.

CIC Vice Chairperson Elizabeth Muli told the National Assembly's Committee on Administration and National Security that Kaluma's push to have all the officers fired for failing to meet the requirements of the process reinstated also flouted the Constitution.

"The Constitution prescribes that the National Police Service shall strive for the highest standards of professionalism and discipline among its members. One of the ways of promoting and ensuring professionalism within the service is through vetting of the officers," said Dr Muli at the meeting in Nairobi's Continental House.

The commission said there was evidence of bribery and criminal activities in the police service and the only way to mitigate it was through thorough vetting – the kind that is being done all over the country by the National Police Service Commission.

"Professionalism in the service is a pre-requisite for successful and effective police reforms in Kenya," said Dr Muli.

He added: "The amendment is unlawful. It seeks to nullify a process that was legally carried out by the National Police Service in accordance with its constitutional mandate. The law does not act retrogressively. Anything to the contrary will be unconstitutional and retrogressive," said the CIC.