NPSC rejects appeal by four sacked senior officers in vetting purge

The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has rejected an appeal by four of the 12 senior officers who were sacked after they failed the vetting exercise.

The commission accepted the appeal of two officers and ordered that six others go for fresh vetting.

“The commission rejected the appeal of four officers, reinstated two and ordered that six others be vetted afresh,” said a source privy to the deliberations last week on Tuesday.

The police appeals review team led by former High Court judge Sarah Ondeyo handed over its report to the police employer two months ago with various recommendations.

They were sacked in May after failing the vetting. Reasons for their sacking included lack of discipline, integrity, violation of human rights, financial impropriety and engagement in criminal activities as well as the smuggling of commodities.

The appeals team is said to have recommended the sacking of some of the affected officers.

Police suitability

Among those whose cases were reviewed were the head of investigations at CID headquarters Samuel Nyabengi, Kajiado County police commander Tito Kilonzi, deputy director of police logistics Stephen Kemei, head of police operations at Dadaab Refugee Camp Roba Kalicha, Devid Birechi (police headquarters), Alexander Munyao (Kenya Police College) and Sharif Abdalla (Nyeri).

Others were Joseph Musyoki of Administration Police headquarters, Peter Muinde of CID Training School, Emanuel Kenga Karisa (Vihiga County Police), Wilfred Mbithi (operations Nairobi) and Paul Onyango (Kakamega AP).

So far, close to 200 officers holding the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police and above have been vetted in an exercise aiming at checking police suitability and more than 20 have been sacked.

The vetting process is being conducted pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution, Article 246 and National Police Service Act (2011) Section 7(2) and (3), which stipulate that members of the National Police Service shall undergo vetting to assess their suitability and competence. Vetting is mandatory for all officers before they are promoted to the next rank, confirmed or posted.

Vetting was among the more than 200 proposals of a commission set up following the 2007-2008-post election violence.

And two senior police officers who had been found unsuitable in the vetting process have now been ordered to vacate their offices.

The Commission ordered Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of reforms Jonathan Koskei and Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police in the office of the IG Peter Eregae to vacate office on September 12.

This was after they failed to appear for a scheduled revetting exercise. A court had in May ordered the two sacked officers be vetted on their suitability.

High Court judge justice George Odunga ordered the commission to vet afresh the two after they were retired for being unsuitable after the vetting exercise in January.

Justice Odunga ordered they be re-vetted for fairness to both parties.