- Senate last month approved nomination of Kanja.
- Kanja is coming to the office at a time the acting IG is facing a six month jail for contempt of court.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
MPs on Wednesday unanimously voted to approve the nomination of former Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Douglas Kanja as the next police boss.
The National Assembly’s approval comes weeks after senators gave a nod to the nomination of the fifth Inspector General of Police under the 2010 Constitution.
With the Parliament’s approval process now complete, President William Ruto is now expected to formally appoint Kanja through a gazette notice.
Kanja is coming to the office at a time when the acting IG Gilbert Masengeli is facing a six-month jail for contempt of court.
The police service is also facing condemnation over forced disappearances and abductions of Kenyans seen to be critical to the government.
Debating the joint report, MPs cited Kanja’s long service at the police service rising through the ranks as a testament of a person who has the experience to transform the service.
Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo while supporting the nominee, challenged him to show commitment to the rule of law.
“This nominee is being nominated as the IG at a very difficult time when the police service is under microscope. It is under microscope for various reasons. First of all for impunity, it is a time that the acting IG is demonstrating absolute impunity against the court, ” Otiende said.
“It is also a time when there are unexplained disappearances and abductions.”
National Assembly deputy Minority Leader Owen Baya described Kanja as the right man for the job given his track record.
“One thing he must do is to get rid of corruption at Vigilance House and the police service,” Baya said.
Minority Leader Junet Mohamed told Kanja to serve Kenyans equally without allowing the police service to be used in settling political scores.
“I am not saying I am fully satisfied but I am saying let’s give it a chance,” Junet said.
The MPs also defended the nominee on his age. Questions had been raised on the nominees age which is slightly above the mandatory retirement age of 60.
Majority Whip Silvanos Osoro while supporting Kanja’s nomination dismissed his age arguing that the 60-years-old retirement age applies only to public service.
Holder of the office of Inspector General of Police, according to Osoro, is a state officer.
“He is virtually 61 , it is not relevant to IG who is a state officer. The age applies to public servants,” Osoro said.
Kanja, the career policeman who started from the bottom, is a step away from the top after securing the Senate green light to issue supreme commands to Kenya’s police service.
The joint committee of National Assembly Administration and Internal Security and Senate Internal Security, Defence and Foreign Relations earlier vetted and approved Kanja.
President Ruto on July 25 nominated Kanja as the new Inspector General of Police.
Kanja was initially appointed acting IG after the resignation of Japhet Koome and later nominated to the position.
This forced him to leave the position to Deputy Inspector General of Administration Police Masengeli who has since then been the acting IGP.
If approved by Parliament, Kanja will succeed Koome.
Kanja brings a wealth of experience to the table, with a distinguished career spanning nearly four decades. Beginning his journey in law enforcement in 1985. He has steadily risen through the ranks.
Prior to his appointment, Kanja served as the commandant of the General Service Unit since 2018.
He was appointed DIG KPS in April 2023.