Police resolve pecking order confusion

The National Police Service has now resolved the confusion created by the deployment of senior officers with similar ranks to counties.

National Police Service spokesman George Kinoti said Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet solved the problem by promoting all County and Regional Commanders.

“That problem was there before (Nairobi County Police Commander Japheth) Koome was promoted but the IG resolved it when he recently promoted all County Commanders to Commissioners of Police and all Regional Commanders to Assistant Inspector General of Police,” Kinoti said.

Last year, the National Police Service (NPS) had deployed senior officers of the same rank to the same counties, making it tricky for them to issue orders to each other.

Growing fear

There was growing fear that their deployment could create a disjointed response during operations, especially in the August General Election because some of them did not have clear mandates.

In Nairobi County for example, Koome was a Commissioner of Police (CP), yet County Criminal Investigation Officer (CCIO) Nicholas Kamwende held the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), a rank higher than Koome who was the overall police boss.

The Nairobi County Administration Police Service (APS) Commander Francis Mburu was also holding the rank of an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG). Koome has now been promoted to the rank of AIG.

Other senior officers who were in a similar dilemma as Koome and were promoted include Peter Mwania, Solomon Makau, Edward Mwamburi, Daniel Kebenei, Douglas Kanja, Joseph Kod, Titus Muvea, Eunice Kihiko, Henry Barmao, Patrick Obimo, Noor Gabow, Patrick Adera, Noah Mwivanda and Frederick Situma.

Similar cases in Kisumu, Mombasa and Garissa counties have also been resolved after each service was assigned specific counties. The APS has been assigned command in volatile counties, while the Kenya Police Service (KPS) has been given command of more urban areas.

Koome said a County Commander can either come from the KPS or APS, depending on who is the senior most between them.

He said the IG has the power to appoint officers in charge even if they are of lower ranks than their colleagues.