President William Ruto has appointed Ahmed Isaack Hassan the new chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority.
The appointment is contained in a gazette notice dated December 5, 2024.
The former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson was on October 8 shortlisted for the position by the Public Service Commission alongside eight other candidates.
Ruto nominated him for the position on November 12 alongside members of the authority: Ann Wanjiku Mwangi, Micah Onyiego Nyakego, Boniface Kipkemoi Samati, Annette Mbogoh, John Muchiri Nyaga, Kenwilliams Nyakomitah, and Jackline Lukalo Mwenesi.
Ruto appointed the nominees via the same gazette notice.
During his vetting by the National Assembly on November 22, Hassan pledged to outlaw the use of unmarked vehicles during police operations.
Hassan told the National Administration Security Committee that the use of unmarked vehicles has been abused by officers who sometimes end up abusing the rights of Kenyans.
The practice also makes it difficult for the civilian oversight body to track violations of human rights by the officers, he said.
He said he would also introduce the use of body cameras by police officers during operations as a way of fostering greater accountability within the police service.
"We must restore trust in our police force. We must get a police service which is going to keep law and order," Hassan said.
Hassan is an Advocate of the High Court with 30 years’ experience as a legal practitioner and consultant in various countries, including Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Namibia and Afghanistan.
He holds a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law and a Diploma in Contemporary Public Administration Management from Galilee International Management Institute, Israel.
He was appointed IEBC chair on November 9, 2011, until October 6, 2016.
Prior to his appointment to the IEBC, Hassan had served as the chairperson of the defunct Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) from May, 2009 to November, 2011.
He also served as a Commissioner in the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC) and as a legal consultant to UNDP Somalia in the Somalia Constitution-Making Project.
Ipoa's core mandate is to investigate deaths and serious injuries caused by police action, police misconduct and monitoring, reviewing and auditing investigations and action by the Internal Affairs Unit of the police.
The aauthority also conducts inspections of police premises, monitors and investigates policing operations and deployment and oversight the handling of complaints by the National Police Service.
