Police boss fined Sh500k for snubbing Senate
The Inspector General of Police, Hillary Mutyambai, has been slapped with a Sh500,000 fine by a parliamentary committee for snubbing its invitations.
Mutyambai, who failed to appear before the Senate Devolution and Inter-governmental Relations committees three times, attracted the wrath of legislators after he skipped a crucial meeting yesterday. The nine-member panel is investigating forcible eviction of county staff from houses in Eastleigh and Pumwani owned by the Nairobi City County.
The committee chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ said the conduct of Mutyambai was untenable.
“We are going to apply sanctions as spelt out in the Powers and Privileges Act,” ruled Kajwang’, adding that the committee will issue fresh summons for him to appear. The Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act 2017 states that where a witness summoned does not appear, the relevant committee may impose a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand shillings to the Clerk of the relevant House.
“This amount of money will be paid from his pocket, not public resources, and he will produce a receipt that he paid from his own personal account,” Kajwang’ held. After payment, he explained, the IG will have to honour fresh summons, failing which he will again be fined a similar amount.
“A man who is vetted and approved by this House cannot afford to avoid invitations to appear before Senators. It was not just an invitation; this was a summons,” he said.
According to him, if the Senate can impeach presidents and governors, nobody, not even the IG, can ignore and act in a manner that risks contempt to the Senate. His sentiments were shared by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen.
The Kajwang’-led committee also wanted the IG to explain the presence of police signs on a disputed property in Pumwani, Nairobi.
“Let the law apply. Let him be fined, the money that is provided for by the law, and be summoned again and fined again, we will do it until he appears before this committee or until the law catches up with him,” said Murkomen.
Mutyambai has been summoned by Moses Kajwang’-led committee to explain the involvement of the police in the violent and very demeaning evictions in Eastleigh and Pumwani.
“We also needed the Inspector General of Police to explain the presence of police signs on one of the properties that is disputed and that is Pumwani,” Kajwang noted.
On his part, Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot observed that already IG has a record of being the worst public officer who is incompetent and one who doesn’t inspire the confidence of a public officer saying his conduct is always wanting in almost every public assignment that he undertakes
Nominated Senator Isaac Ngugi said it is for the public interest that IG is summoned as he is adversely mentioned in the manner the evictions were conducted.
“It shows that if the police were not involved. Those evictions would not have taken place. It needs to go on record that as a committee, we are not happy,” Senator Ngugi said.
“What is he hiding? Or, is he part of this cartel? That is grabbing land in the city of Nairobi. He needs to come out clean on this matter,” he added.
