Reprieve for 300 police officers facing the sack
Newly appointed National Police Service Commission (NPSC) chairman Eliud Kinuthia has given 300 police officers facing the sack an opportunity to proof themselves.
It was a sigh of relief for the affected officers, who had failed in a vetting exercise last year, after the new team of commissioners announced that they have shelved the report of their predecessors.
In what appears to be a charm offensive, the new team, who are on a countrywide tour, questioned the manner in which the vetting was conducted by former chairman Johnston Kavuludi and his team saying the process was riddled with controversy.
Welfare of officers
During a meeting held in Nakuru on Monday, the new team led by Kinuthia said they are going to change the way things are done by focusing more on the welfare of police officers and championing their interests.
The decision also comes in the wake of rising cases of police officers engaging in crime such as bank robberies and other fraudulent activities.
Last week, three police officers were arrested after they allegedly raided a lodging in Eastleigh, Nairobi, and robbed two businessmen of Sh6 million.
Last month, four police officers were arrested in connection with the Sh72 million heist at the Standard Chartered Bank, Nairobi West branch.
However, the NPSC boss defended the police saying majority of them were doing a “fantastic job”.
Set aside
“In every profession, there are bad elements but that doesn’t mean everyone working there is bad. It is only a few characters and the Inspector General is doing some good work to ensure that these things don’t happen again,” he said.
By the time of leaving office in October 2018, the Kavuludi-led team had not implemented the report.
“The former commission left before making public their recommendations (for the 300) public and that job was handed over to us… we have, therefore, decided to set aside these files and records,” Kinuthia said adding that the officers will continue with their normal duties.
Kinuthia also met Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya before addressing a group of officers drawn from Nakuru, Bomet, Kericho, Narok and Baringo.
