- Ruto told Kanja the responsibility of ensuring all Kenyan citizens respect the rule of law irrespective of their social status rests squarely on his shoulders.
- The President urged Kanja to ensure he protects the independence of the National Police Service but reminded him that no one is above the law.
President William Ruto has called on the new Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to uphold the rule of law and treat no one favourably on account of their status. https://shorturl.at/KjdeE
Image: PCS
President William Ruto has called on the new Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to uphold the rule of law and treat no one favourably on account of their status.
Speaking on Thursday after witnessing the swearing-in of the IG at State House, Nairobi, Ruto told Kanja the responsibility of ensuring all Kenyan citizens respect the rule of law irrespective of their social status rests squarely on his shoulders.
“Mr Kanja as you take over as the Inspector General of Police, it behooves you to protect this police service as an independent institution in the service of the people of Kenya making sure that all citizens are treated equally before the law,” the President said.
Kanja assumes office to fill the position left vacant following the resignation of Japeth Koome on July 12, a day after Ruto fired his entire Cabinet save for Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi after a series of Gen Z-led anti-government protests.
Kanja was initially appointed acting IG after Koome's resignation and later nominated to the position.
Following the nomination and subsequent approval by Parliament, Deputy IG Administration Police, Gilbert Masengeli, has been the acting Police IG.
Masengeli leaves the position with a six-month jail sentence hanging over his head after he was convicted Friday last week by Justice Lawrence Mugambi for contempt of court.
This was after the DIG failed to honour a record seven summonses to appear before court to explain the whereabouts of three people who went missing on August 19 in Kintengela, presumably after being abducted by people believed to be police officers.
Masengeli has since agreed to appear before court amid a pending appeal against the sentence.
In an apparent reference to the development, the President urged Kanja to ensure he protects the independence of the National Police Service but reminded him that no one is above the law.
“You have the responsibility as the commander and the leader of this institution to protect the National Police Service from any manner of manipulation or intimidation or blackmail from whatever quarter and to make sure that all of us as citizens of this great nation respect the laws of the land, abide by the rules that have been set for all of us without status or any form of entitlement,” the President said.
“All of us are equal before the law,” he added, while pointing out that respect for the rule of law is the bedrock of Kenya's democracy.
"We must obey and submit to it for the stability of our country. We will continue supporting our security agencies to keep Kenya safe and secure," he said.
Prior to his appointment, Kanja had served as commandant of the General Service Unit since 2018.
He has also served in various capacities, including as the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Commandant of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), and the Director of Operations at the National Police Service (NPS).
A career police officer who has served for a cumulative period of thirty-nine years, Kanja has served in various parts of the country, including Nairobi, Coast, Eastern, and Rift Valley regions.