National Police Service Commission chairman Johnstone Kavuludi takes oath of office/FILE
National Police Service Commission chairman Johnstone Kavuludi said suitable candidates were welcome to apply—including Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere and other serving officers if they meet the stipulated requirements.
“We are going to conduct the exercise in accordance with the law and anyone who meets the qualification can apply; these include current holders of various positions in the police—including the commissioner of police,” he said. “But that is not to say the exercise is limited to police officers only, that is not what the law says.”
In the advertisement that appeared in the local newspapers on Monday, interested applicants must submit their applications and certified copies of their testimonials by October 29.
The notice further states that one of the three positions – Inspector General and the two deputies shall be filled by a person of the opposite gender.
Those seeking to be Inspector General, must hold a degree from a recognised university in Kenya, be Kenyans with knowledge and experience in either criminal justice system, policy development and implementation, finance and public administration, security, law, sociology or government.
The same applies to candidates seeking to be appointed to the position of Deputy Inspector General.
The person who shall be appointed Inspector General of police shall serve for a single four-year term and will not be eligible for renewal of appointment.
“Our principle task is to reform the police from a force into a service well geared to the demands of a modern democratic state,” Kavuludi told reporters on Monday.
He said Kenya ‘must have an Inspector General of police by the end of December, we are up to this task, and we must achieve because we have been entrusted with this responsibility.”
Apart from recruiting the Inspector General of police and his two deputies, the commission is expected to handle the affairs of the police, including keeping under review all matters relating to standards or qualifications required of members of the service and with the advice of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, determine the appropriate remuneration and benefits of officers.
He said other priorities is to recruit a new CID director as well as hire 7,000 police officers.
“We will be putting up these advertisements soon,” Kavuludi revealed.
Kavuludi who addressed a press conference in Nairobi pledged that the commission will be fair in the entire recruitment process and will even invite members of the public to give information on candidates who will apply for the positions.
“Therefore, no one should get worried at all. The process shall be fair and in fact we will invite members of the public to submit information on the candidates who apply so that they can be vetted appropriately,” he said.
The commission will also vet officers holding the ranks of Assistant Commissioner’s of police and above to establish their suitability in the police service.
“Change is difficult and uncomfortable, but we wish to allay any apprehension in the minds of the police officers that our commission’s task is to remove officers from the service,” Kavuludi said.
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