There was no senior female officer to succeed Kaindi, says Nkaissery

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery has defended the decision by President Uhuru Kenyatta not to nominate a woman to succeed outgoing Deputy Inspector General of police Grace Kaindi.

Nkaissery said there was no female police officer of higher rank that could succeed Kaindi.

“What if there was no woman to be named to the position? In fact, there was no senior female officer of higher rank that could take over from her and in any case, the substantive successor will be named later,” he said.

He made the remarks following concerns the law may have been broken in naming the successor in as much it was in acting capacity.

But Independent Policing Oversight Authority Chairman Macharia Njeru urged the ministry to spearhead amendments to remove a section of the National Police Service Act that demands that one of the top three police officers be a woman.

Njeru who talked as a member of the police reforms committees and not as IPOA chairman said gender parity can be met in other ranks within the service.

“We can address that issue in other ranks. I urge for the repealing of the law to remove that section demanding that one of the top three be a woman,” said Njeru.

He also supported the removal of Kaindi from office, saying they had difficulties working with her.

Njeru said the authority was planning to draft a petition seeking her removal.

He said police had suffered much under the leadership of Kaindi because there was no order and discipline.

“Police have been lacking good leadership. To us, her removal is a good riddance,” said Njeru.

National Police Service Commission chairman Johnston Kavuludi said they were consulted before she was removed.

He said Kaindi had reached retirement age before being named as ambassador on Tuesday.

“The issue of age came first before her five year term could end in 2018 and that is why we recommended to the president for her removal. In fact she retired,” he said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta announced Kaindi would be named an ambassador after being vetted by Parliament.

He named General Service Unit Commandant Joel Mboya Kitili as acting DIG to replace Kaindi.

Uhuru said Kitili's nomination will take place with immediate effect, and until the substantive process of appointing the next DIG takes place.

The planned sacking of Kaindi, 61, was long written on the wall.

Kaindi had also survived a plan by the commission to send her on retirement.