By CYRUS OMBATI
Newly appointed County Police Commanders will soon be vetted by their employer the National Police Service Commission.
The commission has reconciled with the office of the Inspector General of Police and sits for the first time tomorrow to among other things, approve vetting tools to be used, new ranks and ratify operating standards for the service.
Sources said the reconciliation came amid claims that 141 regular, 47 Administration Police and 47 CID officers are stranded at their workstations without appointment letters, equipment and ranks to operate. This necessitated the calling of a retreat at a Nairobi hotel to discuss the three key issues that will operationalise the commanders’ jobs.
Officials said all commissioners including Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo, his deputies Samuel Arachi (Administration Police) and regular police’s Grace Kaindi will attend the meeting. “It is necessary because the commanders are stranded. They do not have instructions on how they should work,” said a senior police officer aware of the planned meeting.
A consultant, who had been hired by the commission, to panel beat the operating standards and vetting tools has finished the work and will take commissioners through the document during the meeting, another official added.
After the tools are approved and gazetted, the commanders and all other officers will be vetted in accordance with the law.
Pending issues
Most commanders appointed last month, have been complaining they do not have tools to operate with, ranks and appointment letters.
The commission met for the first time last week during which Mr Kimaiyo asked that they ratify pending issues to enable the officers’ work.
The commission has been at loggerhead with Kimaiyo and his deputies over a number of issues, including the proposed amendments to National Police Service (Amendment) Bill and National Police Service Commission (Amendment) Bill.
They have also differed over Kimaiyo’s move to transfer and promote senior officers contrary to the law.
