A meeting by the National Police Service Commission planned for Monday, March 27, to shortlist at least ten candidates to be interviewed for the position of Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police was postponed at the eleventh hour.
The meeting is now scheduled for Tuesday, March 28. Insiders said the meeting was postponed because of planned Monday protests in the country.
Police bosses who are members of the commission said they wanted time to monitor the situation.
Those seeking to replace Edward Mbugua had until March 26 to send their applications.
The commission had limited the applications to holders of a bachelor's degree, Kenyan citizens who must have served in the police service for at least 15 years and be of the rank of Assistant Inspector General of police.
Among those who have applied include the acting DIG Abdalla Komesha, Duncan Ochieng, Nyale Munga, Jasper Ombati and Kiprono Langat.
Many officers internally have been salivating for the position after it emerged Mbugua was about to exit the stage.
As the DIG, the holder of the officer is the most powerful as he or she controls almost 70,000 personnel of the more than 100,000 officers under NPS.
The other personnel are in Administration Police Service and DCI.
The DIG KPS is in charge of all eight regional police commanders, 47 county commanders, formation commanders, Sub County Commanders, Officer Commanding Station (OCS) and all uniformed officers.
He also controls the General Service Unit, traffic department and Kenya Police College in Kiganjo.
The new holder of the office will come to the office when the service is facing different forms of crisis including financial.
The morale of many officers is low due to among others poor pay and living conditions.
A task force is collecting views on how police welfare will be implemented but many fear the same may not be implemented.
The first DIG under the 2010 constitution was Grace Kaindi in 2012 then came Joel Kitili and Mbugua.
The functions of the DIG in Kenya are crucial for the command of the National Police Service.
Article 245 of the Constitution provides for two positions of Inspector General to head the Kenya Police Service and the Administration Police Service.
The President should appoint each Deputy Inspector General of Police with the recommendation of the National Police Service Commission.
The DIG Kenya Police Service should be subject to the direction, command and control of the Inspector-General—be responsible for the effective and efficient day-to-day administration and operations of the Kenya Police Service.
He should also implement policies and directions of NPS in relation to the Kenya Police Service, prepare the budget, planning and provision of support for the service.
He should also establish and maintain police stations, outposts, units or unit bases in the counties and determine the boundaries of the police stations, outposts or unit bases.
Moreover, he should establish a facility in each police station for receiving, recording and reporting complaints from members of the public.
The DIG should manage, monitor and evaluate KPS, undertake the supervision of the service, coordinate training in KPS and provide internal oversight of the service.
Other duties are to establish and maintain a relationship between the Kenya Police Service and the community and improve transparency and accountability in the Kenya Police Service.
He should cooperate and engage in joint security operations with the Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Administration Police Service, other government departments or other security organs to ensure the safety and security of the public.
He should implement the decisions of the Inspector General, issue general, special, routine and standing orders in respect of the KPS and perform such other duties as the Inspector General may assign, or as the NPS Act or by any other written law may prescribe.