IG Koome violated the law by promoting police officers, NPSC chair Kinuthia tells Senate

Appearing before the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations on Tuesday, Kinuthia termed Koome’s move to promote high-ranking officers at the national and regional levels in June as unconstitutional. 

“No promotion proposal was forwarded to to his commission for promotion and therefore what was suggested by IG is null and void,” he told the Senate Committee. 

“This promotion violated the constitution on independence of the commission which has the mandate to promote police officers in this country as outlined in the constitution, therefore there is no fairness, no advertising was done,” Kinuthia further argued. 

The chairperson said police promotions are the mandate of NPSC, as it gives fairness, equal opportunity and promotes qualified police officers who have duly applied for the promotion. 

“In this case of IG no application was done neither advertisement was done, hence he violated the law.”

“Why isolate the National Police Service Commission? Like in judiciary, CJ cannot promote officers without a nod by JSC, likewise in TSC and any other independent commission, why is this happening in police service?” he posed. 

Kinuthia added that the commission has since advertised 514 positions. 

In June, Koome initiated the promotions and forwarded names to the NPSC for ratification and action.

But the commission not only declined to act on the notice of promotion, it also nullified the said promotions.