Acting Police IG cancels John Gachomo's appointment as Head of Internal Affairs Unit

John Gachomo served as the ATPU boss between February 2019 and July 2021. [File, Standard]

The Acting Inspector-General of Police Noor Gabow has cancelled the appointment of John Gachomo as the Director of the Internal Affairs Unit.

Gabow had, on Wednesday, October 19, announced that Gachomo would take over as the Head of Internal Affairs Unit.

The position fell vacant after the then-holder Amin Mohamed Ibrahim took up a new role as the Director of Criminal Investigations, replacing George Kinoti.

Barely two days into his new posting, Gachomo has been recalled to the Kenya Police Headquarters at Vigilance House, awaiting redeployment.

His appointment was cancelled by the Acting Inspector-General of Police Noor Gabow on Friday, October 21 following complaints by civil society groups over missing persons during Gachomo's stint as the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) boss.

Gachomo served as the Head of ATPU between February 2019 and July 2021. He was, thereafter, moved to the DCI Headquarters on Kiambu Road, Nairobi as the Head of Investigations.

In the October 19 reshuffle by Gabow, Gachomo was replaced by Assistant Inspector-General of Police Eliud Kipkoech Lagat as the Director of Investigations at the DCI.

Esther Ngang'a, the Deputy Director of the Internal Affairs Unit, assumes the director role in an acting capacity as the search for a substantive holder continues.

Ng'ang'a is a lawyer and Commissioner of Police.