FIDA on Wednesday claimed that there was a plot by Parliament to amend gender provisions of the National Police Service Act to lock out women from the top three appointments of the Police Service.
FIDA chairperson Ruth Odhiambo argued that MPs were plotting to sneak in changes to ensure that Kimaiyo, Muhoro and Arachi got appointed without having to abide by the one-third gender rule.
Section 14 (b) of the National Police Service Commission Act provides that: “In the entire recruitment and appointment process of the Inspector-General or Deputy Inspector-General, the Commission, Parliament and President, as the case may be, shall ensure that at all times one of the three positions of the Inspector-General and the two Deputy Inspector-Generals is of opposite gender.”
CIC on its part wanted the appointment of the Inspector General of police and two deputies halted until the one-third gender rule is met.
CIC chairman Charles Nyachae insisted that the President and Prime Minister went against the provisions of the constitution and the National Police Service Commission Act after only nominating men for appointment.
Nyachae says that the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) shortlisted qualified women for the positions and there is no reason for failing to pick one from the list.
“The failure to observe this mandatory provision not only breaches the law and the spirit of the constitution but is a further assault on the gender gains which have been consolidated in the Constitution of Kenya 2010,” he added.
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