The Members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday unanimously confirmed Douglas Kanja Kirocho as the next Inspector General of the National Police Service-Kenya, filling the critical national security position left vacant following Japhet Koome’s resignation earlier in July.
But before taking office, Mr Kanja, who has been the nominee Inspector General of the National Police Service since that time, is expected to be formally approved by President William Ruto on Thursday and then sworn in on the same day at State House, Nairobi.
The current Acting Inspector General of Police is Gilbert Masengeli, and he will be replacing him after the confirmation by the MPs and, earlier on, passing the vetting process by the jỏint committee of National Assembly Administration and Internal Security and Senate Internal Security, Defence and Foreign Relations.
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Mr Kanja’s nomination sailed through the Senate and the National Assembly because the MPs found him experienced enough to lead the National Police Service, consisting of the Kenya Police Service and the Administration Police Service, as the highest-ranking officer, having started his career in law enforcement as a recruit Police Constable in 1985 then rose through ranks;
Mr Kanja, 60, previously served as Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service, was the Commandant of the General Service Unit for five years, Deputy Commandant of the General Service Unit for three years, County Police Commander in charge of Kilifi County, Deputy Commandant of Kenya Airports Police Unit, Chief Armourer at the Police Headquarters and Deputy Chief Armourer at the Kenya Police Service Headquarters, among other high-level positions within the ranks of the National Police Service.
‘’Kanja has been a very good officer in the service, and his commitment cannot be questionable. When he was the DIG (Deputy Inspector General), he could attend to your issues as soon as you called him, and I hope and know that that is what he will also do to the citizens,’’ one MP, Owen Baya of Kilifi North Constituency and the Deputy Majority Leader at the National Assembly said.
‘’This is one of the appointments that in this house we say give it chance because since the new constitution was enacted, this is the only time that we seem to be getting it,’’ said another, Junet Mohamed, the Member of Parliament for Suna East Constituency and the Minority Leader at Parliament.
Mr Kanja will be the sixth Inspector General of Police since the adoption of the new Constitution in 2010 and the 16th since 1964,when Kenya became a sovereign Republic.
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