Looking back at Boinnet's legacy at Vigilance House

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet whose term in office ended spent most of the day attending security meetings amid speculation on who is likely to take over from him.

Boinnet attended the National Security Advisory Committee at Harambee House. The team advises and gives direction on various security issues.

He later met senior officers in his office for regular security briefings. It is not clear if and when he will officially leave office. What was striking is that he was not in his uniform.

“He seems set to leave but we don’t know what next,” said an insider.

Boinnet got his appointment letter on March 4, 2015 but was sworn into office on March 11, 2015.

Acting IG

Should he leave as planned, there will be an acting IG as the President considers names presented to him for nomination of next police boss.

The names of possible candidates could be from the National Police Service, the military or the  National Intelligence Service. The final prerogative lies with the President.

The IG serves a one, four-year-term that is non-renewable. The President may appoint either Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Njoroge Mbugua or Noor Gabow of Administration Police Service (APS) to act as IG for not more than six months as he seeks to recruit Boinnet's successor.

The President is expected to nominate and send the nominee's name to Parliament for approval and subsequent appointment before he or she is sworn into office.

The Constitution states: "The President shall, within 14 days after a vacancy occurs in the office of the Inspector General nominate a person for appointment as an Inspector General and submit the name of the nominee to Parliament."

Parliament shall, within 14 days after it first meets after receiving the names of the nominee, consider the suitability of the nominee; either approve or reject the nominee for appointment; and the Speaker of the National Assembly shall notify the President of the decision of Parliament.

If Parliament approves the nominee, the President shall, within seven days after receiving the notification, appoint the nominee as the Inspector General.

There has been speculation on who is likely to take over from Boinnet amid lobbying from different quarters.

Even though he was recruited as a police officer, Boinnet later joined NIS where he was sourced from in 2015 and named the IG.

Under his leadership, a number of reforms have taken place, which include the latest ones that saw almost half of the 48,000 strong APS officers join the Kenya Police as part of efforts to enhance operations.

Incidents of terrorism especially in urban areas went to almost zero under his guard.

Police also adopted a new uniform under his leadership.

It was during his tenure that security agencies adopted a multi-agency approach that saw regular cooperation between the agencies.

Incidents of cattle rustling went down following various approaches that the NPS adopted.

Boinnet said he is happy with his achievements and that he had left a better NPS.

“There is a new curriculum for recruitment of police, revised promotional courses and many policies that will help police prosper,” he said.

He said under his watch, the service was given enough tools of work which made operations easier.

He attributed the quick response by officers to emergencies to a motor vehicle-leasing programme introduced under his watch.

Distress calls

This, he said, had been able to facilitate the ease of movement of the police responding to distress calls from members of the public.

He added he was able to expedite the establishment of a group life insurance cover and comprehensive medical scheme for police officers and members of their families.

Boinnet said upgrading of housing units for the police with a house allowance allocated to officers across all ranks was also another achievement.

“Police officers in the general duty will henceforth rent their own houses and live within the communities they serve as opposed to living in congested police lines as has been the case since Independence. These and many other milestones have been achieved for the sole purpose of ensuring that officers discharge their duties effectively,” he said.

A new team of commissioners of the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) are set to be sworn into office after getting Parliament's approval.

They include Eliud Ndungu Kinuthia (chair) and Lilian Kiamba, Eusibius Laibuta, lawyer Naftali Kipchirchir Rono, Alice Atieno Otwala and John ole Mayaki as members.