Nairobi, Kenya: The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) should not be involved in investigating the controversial police recruitment, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has said.
"It places the commission as a judge, jury and executioner in its own case. Such a shallow audit cannot redeem an irredeemably flawed recruitment exercise," KNCHR said in a joint statement with the Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya (PRWG-K).
It further stated that the process was riddled with corruption and discrimination, adding that the recruitment was undertaken in non-gazette centres and unwarranted extension of recruitment time.
"Such malpractices must be thoroughly addressed through an independent probe to guarantee non-repetition," KNCHR said.
KNCHR and PRWG-K are also demanding the immediate nullification of the recruitment drive. They want the commission to develop recruitment regulations to guide a fresh, transparent recruitment drive.
They added that they support legal action taken by the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA), and threatened to be enjoined in the matter if their concerns were not addressed by today.
IPOA filed a case in court citing irregularities and non-compliance with the Constitution, thus "leading to the great hue and cry from the public and aggrieved participants," Chairman Macharia Njeru said.
The statement was signed by KNCHR and PRWG-K members including Independent Medico-Legal Unit, Kenya Human Rights Commission, International Centre for Jurists Kenya, International Centre for Transitional Justice, Rights Promotion and Protection Centre, Legal Resources Foundation, Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya, Kenyans for Peace with Truth and Justice, Coalition on Violence Against Women, Centre for Minority Rights, National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders and Usalama Reforms Forum.
The audit report is expected to be forwarded to the Commission by mid next this week.
The commission said the team probing the recruitment had handed its findings to the Joint Committee comprising the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Interior and Co-ordination, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the National Police Service Commission on August 4.
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