Inspector General of police Hilary Mutyambai was Sunday still in critical condition in hospital after he fell sick prompting him to nominate his deputy Noor Gabow to act as the police boss.
Those who saw him at the Aga Khan Hospital’s High Dependence Unit said doctors were running various tests on him before deciding the next course of action.
“He is still in the ward and the doctors advise we give him time as they decide what to do next. We hope he will be better by Monday,” said an official who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak.
The HDU is a specialist ward providing intensive care (treatment and monitoring) for critically ill people.
Mutyambai said from August 26, he will be away from office attending to a medical checkup.
“This is to inform the general public that I will be away from office attending to a medical checkup effective today, 26th August 2022.”
“In my absence, Mr. Noor Gabow, the Deputy Inspector General - Administration Police Service, will act as the Inspector General of the National Police Service until my return,” he said in a statement.
The move has sparked debate on what happens in such circumstances.
The IG exercises independent command of the service. He may perform functions or exercise the powers in person or may delegate to any police officer junior to him.
In cases where the IG is suspended from office or incapable of performance of his functions, the President may appoint another person to perform the duties.
It is not the first time under his term for Mutyambai to delegate his mandate for medical reasons.
When he fell sick in 2020, he delegated the functions to the DIG Kenya Police Edward Mbugua.
Mutyambai was Thursday rushed to hospital after he collapsed at his Nairobi home.
The police boss was in his Karen residence when he complained of difficulties in breathing and collapsed.
His wife and workers raised alarm and sentry officials joined in rushing him to hospital for treatment.
Gabow is not new to the position as he is from the general duty and it will be easy for him to manage the police operations for now.
Before he was named the DIG, APS, he had served in the Kenya police from the rank of an inspector when he was recruited to the service.
He rose through the ranks to reach his current position. He has served at the UN headquarters, New York as a liaison officer for security for five years.
Insiders say he is a sober and no nonsense officer who will transform the service.
Since he was named as the DIG APS in 2018, more than 20,000 officers from the service have joined the Kenya Police in a major move, many thought the death of the APS was near.
But the developments within the service now show it is among the elite and leading units that are being relied on in many aspects.
The changes have seen APS officers focus on their main role of protecting the country’s strategic installations, VIP protection and border security.
Already the service has taken over patrols on the main Kenya-Somalia border.
Further, under the DIG, the Anti-Stock Theft Unit is now run by the AP unit, joining the Rapid Deployment Unit and Border Patrol Unit.
The APS is now completely specialised in its core mandate that includes border patrols, guarding critical infrastructure and dealing with stock theft.
Under the new structure, the APS has formed units that include the Special Weapons and Tactics team, the Camel Unit, Rapid Deployment Unit, Border Patrol Unit, APS Stock Theft Prevention Unit and Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit.
Mutyambai came to office in 2019 on a single four year term. His term is supposed to end next year April.
He was picked from the National Intelligence Service where he was managing terrorism.