Hilary Mutyambai: The man set to replace Boinnet

Following weeks of speculation on who President Uhuru Kenyatta was going to pick to replace outgoing Inspector General Joseph Boinnet, the head of state has once again placed his faith in the spying lot to help him govern.

President Kenyatta has nominated Hilary Mutyambai, an assistant director with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and currently attached to National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) to be the country’s third Inspector General under the 2010 Constitution.

The new nominee joins Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) chief executive Twalib Mbarak in the list of NIS men that the president has picked to key positions.

If approved, Mutyambai will have gazumped several police honchos to Vigilance House’s top job including National Police Service (NPS) communications boss Charles Owino, Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti, Deputy IG in charge of the Administration Police Noor Gabow, Deputy IG in charge of the Kenya Police Edward Mbugua. Kenyan envoy to Brazil Isaac Ochieng, a former NIS man, was also billed as a likely nominee.

The NIS operative has also beaten General Service Unit (GSU) commandant Douglas Kanja who was highly praised for how he handled the DusitD2 terror attack and Police Training College commandant King’ori Mwangi to the job.

In Executive Order number 4 of 2019, President Kenyatta has also appointed Boinnet as Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.

[ Read: The hidden bombs in picking Boinett successor ]

The President has also appointed National Police Service Commission (NPSC) members following the approval of their nomination by Parliament.

Uhuru has also appointed former Eastern Regional Commissioner Wycliffe Ogalo as Commissioner General of the Kenya Prisons Service. In January, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i had elevated Ogalo to the position of secretary for national administration. He replaces Isaiah Osugo, whose term has ended.

The president has also appointed former Kenya Navy deputy commander Brigadier General John Warui Waweu as Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General.

Brig Gen Waweru, a senior directing staff at the Kenya Defence College, Karen replaces Prof Paul Musyoki who has been holding the position in acting capacity. His main challenge will be to tackle poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking.

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Brigadier Vincent Laisho Loonena has been confirmed as Director General of the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) after being appointed last year.

KCGS, which was formed last year, is a specialised maritime force responsible for law enforcement on national waters, including on the oceans, lakes and rivers. Previously, he was the managing director of the KDF Medical Insurance Programme, where he had served for four months from July 2018.