NPSC fires three senior police officers after failing in an appeal against vetting

NPSC chairman Johnstone Kavuludi

NAIROBI: The National Police Service Commission has revealed names of three senior officers whose appeals were rejected after they failed vetting exercise.

The three were part of the 12 senior officers who were sacked after they failed vetting exercise.

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

Those who have been sacked include Peter Muinde, Emanuel Kenga and Stephen Kemei.

Those who have been retained are Bernard Onyango and Joseph Musyoki.

The commission said Tuesday that those who will be re-vetted are Samuel Nyabengi, Tito Kilonzi, Roba Kalicha, Devid Birechi, Alexander Munyao, and Sharif Abdalla and Wilfred Mbithi.

“The commission is making arrangements to vet these again and will soon put a notice calling for complaints and compliments to facilitate the vetting process,” said the commission chairman Johnstone Kavuludi in a statement.

A vetting appeals team that reviewed the officers’ cases had handed in its report to the National Police Service Commission with recommendations that were adopted.

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 2014 after failing the ongoing police vetting exercise in which some officers admitted that corruption is deep rooted in the force.

The commission said the reasons for their sacking included lack of discipline, integrity, violation of human rights, financial impropriety and engagement in criminal activities among them bribery, human trafficking, rape and defilement as well as the smuggling of commodities such as sugar, illicit brews and drugs.

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

So far, close to 200 officers of the ranks of ACP and above have been vetted in the exercise that started in December aimed at checking police suitability and so far more than 20 have been sacked.

Vetting is mandatory for all officers before they are promoted to the next rank, confirmed or posted.

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.

The vetting was meant to clean up the police, which has been listed as the most corrupt institution in Kenya by many surveys.

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