NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 12 — Kenyans are likely to know their next Director of Criminal Investigations by October 18 following the conclusion of the day-long vetting of 10 shortlisted candidates by the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) on Tuesday.
The NPSC will now forward the names of the top three candidates to President William Ruto who will select his preferred candidate from the list.
The National Police Service Act provides that the Head of State shall then within seven days of receipt of the names forwarded under Section 30 (6), by notice in the Gazette appoint a person as the Director of Criminal Investigations
Speaking after the completion of the exercise at the Kenya School of Government, NPSC Chairperson Eliud Kinuthia described the shortlisted candidates as highly competent and that he is confident a highly qualified director will lead the criminal agency.
“We have completed our part and I can say that we have got very competent candidates. I can say the National Police Service have raised from their teams professionals who can lead different teams well,” Kinuthia said on Tuesday.
The 10 names were narrowed down from a total of 253 applicants who had expressed interest to lead the country’s police investigative arm.
Though President Ruto has a week to name the next DCI Director-General, the revelation could come as early as Friday, October 14 which marks the end of the 14-day period the NPSC assigned Massa Hamisi Salim as the interim boss.
The NPSC appointed Salim as the DCI boss in an acting capacity on September 30 following the resignation of George Kinoti who was subsequently moved to the Public Service Commission.
Kinoti had been at the helm of the criminal investigating agency since 2018.
Those who sought to succeed Kinoti in the concluded NPSC process include the former Nairobi regional DCI Chief Ireri Kamwende, who is the current Director of Planning at DCI headquarters.
Others interviewed are Eliud Lagat, the current Director of Reforms at DCI headquarters, who is also an explosives and post blasts expert, and Mwangi Wanderi, the current head of DCI Railways Command.
Munga Nyale, currently the Principal Assistant to the Inspector General at the NPS headquarters, Amin Ibrahim the current head of the Internal Affairs Unit, and Coast Regional Criminal Investigations officer Walumoli Barasa also faced the panel.
Others include Michael Wiso, a former head of Legal Services at DCI Headquarters, David Birech, the head of Police Reforms, Paul Ndambuki, who has previously served at INTERPOL Headquarters in Lyon France and at the DCI Academy and Esther Seroney, Bomet County Police Commander, the only female candidate who made it to the final list.
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