By Antynet Ford
Activist and Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has challenged the appointment of Douglas Kanja as the Inspector General of Police.
In his petition to the court, Omtatah cited lack of competitiveness during the recruitment process.
Omtatah together with two others; Eliud Karanja and Magare Gikenyi said that kanja is unsuitable for the job and that he was not a qualified candidate.
The three took issue with section 86 of the Security Laws Amendment Act (SLAA) which amended section 12 of the National police service act on the appointment of the IG.
The amendments deleted the elaborate procedure of subjecting a candidate to a competitive process.
“In its place it enacted the appointment of the Inspector General through the pleasure doctrine, where the president, using an undisclosed criteria, headhunts and picks an individual to be appointed as IG with the approval of Parliament.” The petitioners stated.
The appointment, they explained, is a political process by the political arms of the government with no requirement for professional input.
This according to the petitioners has resulted in reduced public confidence in the police service.
“The challenged changes undermined police independence and accountability. They have fuelled widespread and systemic police corruption, criminality and widespread human rights violations.” They said.
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Justice Mwamuye who certified the matter as urgent issued an order compelling the respondents in the case to collect, and preserve all information and documents they and other public bodies are holding relating to the suitability, nomination, vetting, approval and appointment of Kanja.
The respondents in this case are the AG, the National Assembly, the Senate, IPOA, the National Police Service Commission, Kenya National Commission for Human Rights and Kanja himself.
The judge at the same time directed the petitioners to serve the application on the respondents ahead of a physical court hearing on October 15.