National Police Service Commission Shortlists Top Cops for Deputy Inspector General Roles

The National Police Service Commission has interviewed eight candidates for the vacant positions of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) for both the Kenya Police Service and the Administration Police Service.

The positions were left open after former Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome resigned on July 12.

Following Koome’s resignation, President William Ruto appointed Douglas Kanja, the former KPS DIG, as the acting Inspector General.

Ruto also removed Noor Gabow from the position of DIG APS and named James Kamau as the acting DIG, while appointing Eliud Lagat, the commandant of the General Service Unit, as the acting DIG KPS.

The candidates were required to hold the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police or above.

Those who appeared before the Eliud Kinuthia-led Commission for the Kenya Police DIG position were George Sedah, the Coast Region Police Commander, Lagat, Tom Odero, and Vincent Makokha.

For the Administration Police DIG position, the interviewees were Gilbert Masengeli, Margaret Karanja, Kamau, and Masood Mwinyi.

The panel also included Kanja, the acting Inspector General, Mohamed Amin, the Director of Criminal Investigation, and other commissioners from the National Police Service.

Kinuthia, the chairperson of the National Police Service Commission, stated that the commission is mandated by law to complete the process within 14 days and recommend a suitable candidate to the appointing authority for the substantive appointment.

He emphasized that the interview process is a competitive recruitment guided by the law, specifically Section 14 of the National Police Service Act and Article 32, which require that appointments and promotions be done in a competitive manner.

According to Kinuthia, the interviewees were taken through a structured process of engagement as the panel sought to evaluate their preparedness and readiness to perform in the office of DIG.

The commission is set to announce the top performers by Friday this week.