32 officers to face panel as vetting resumes

By CYRUS OMBATI

Nairobi, Kenya: More than 30 senior police officers will today be vetted as the third phase of the exercise begins.

The 32 officers of the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police will face the National Police Service Commission vetting panel at Skypark Towers in Westlands and the exercise is expected to last for 12 days.

The vetting panel intends to vet 166 officers of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police and Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police by March 14.

 Commission Chairman Johnston Kavuludi said each officer would face the panel for 30 minutes.

“We are ready to carry on with the exercise and we hope to face more than 1,000 other officers of the rank of SSP and SP in the counties later in June,” said Kavuludi.

 New officials have been co-opted into the National Police Service Commission vetting panel to participate in the exercise after three others quit the team early last week.

The new panelists are from the Law Society of Kenya, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Public Service Commission, National Gender and Equality Commission.

They will replace Simiyu Werunga, Francis Sang and Joseph Kaguthi of Nyumba Kumi Initiative and Kimani Njogu who resigned last Tuesday.

Today, Gerald Mbabu, Xavier Mbogo, Moses Ombati, Edward Mbugua, Gideon Amalla, Patrick Muhuni, James Ringera, Vitalis Otieno, Robert Kitur, Lilian Kiamba, Narangwi Kinoti, Samuel Kimaru, Solomon Makau, Mary Kaol, Joseph Ngisa and Charles Nzioka will be vetted.

Vetting mandatory

Others to be vetted are Elias Oduori, Thomas Barasa, David Baya, Simiyu Naliaka, Francis Gachina, Henry Ondiek, Peter Mwania, Henry Barmao, Samuel Nyabengi, Larry Kieng, Boniface Mwaniki, Ikumbi Ngului, Eunice Kihiko, Maurice Amata, William Okello and Daniel Kebenei.

Kavuludi said all officers have to go through vetting before they are promoted, confirmed or posted.

Kavuludi said sixteen officers of those invited to the face the panel opted out after reaching retirement age.

The panel will work in four groups.

Thee exercise is meant to clean up the police, which has been listed as the most corrupt institution in Kenya by many surveys.

Of the 30 senior officers who have been vetted so far, five have been sent home after they were found unsuitable to continue serving.