Mutahi Ngunyi is the Principal Fellow at The Consulting House, a think tank. Photo/ FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 23 – Political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi has supported proposed amendments to the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) Act and the National Police Service (NPS) Act which will, among other things, transfer more powers to the Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo.
Ngunyi, who is also a Principal Fellow and security researcher with The Consulting House (TCH), said the law had been rushed and there was need to clear up some of the grey areas to streamline the functions of the Police Service Commission and the Inspector General.
He noted that the amendments would also help put police reforms on track by ensuring that the force spoke in one voice.
“The Constitution itself gives the Commission powers that we are not able to operationalise. So when Kimaiyo says I can’t handle this, he is probably right,” he said.
“You cannot have a Commission appointing officers on the ground and Kimaiyo is the one who is supposed to direct them. That doesn’t completely gel.”
The Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution has given the public 14 days to submit views on two Bills seeking to amend the NPSC Act and the NPS Act.
The National Police Service Commission Chairman Johnstone Kavuludi and Kimaiyo have been engaged in a power tussle over police appointments and reforms.
Ngunyi added that the country would be unable to fight insecurity without having the necessary police reforms that were supposed to be guided by the laws.
“It is not about police absence but about police abstinence. The police abstain because they are overwhelmed and also because they are partakers of crime,” he argued. “And so you need to have the institutional shake-up and you also need to get to the law that has created this confusion.”
The Consulting House has in the meantime partnered with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to conduct research that will guide security policies in the region.
IGAD Executive Director Mahboub Maalim said the think-tank would look into concerns touching on security, peace and conflict in the region to provide early warning signs.
Maalim explained that the Consulting House would particularly provide insight on militia groups that exist in the region.
“You know that militia groups in Africa are multiplying by the day and unfortunately they have multiplying identities depending on the country. We have to keep tabs on this matter and we are going to collaborate with TCH,” he said.
Consulting House Principal Fellow Mutahi Ngunyi added that militia groups were a threat to regional security claiming that there are over 238 militia groups in Kenya alone.
“Maybe the biggest threat to security in Africa and in the IGAD region is the informal governments. In Kenya there are about 238 such groups including Mungiki, 12 disciples, 48 brothers and the Kamukunji pressure,” he explained.
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